Bihar polls: 53% turnout recorded as phase 3 comes to an end

According to figures, Wednesday’s polling percentage was nearly three per cent more than the total voting percentage in the 2010 state assembly poll.

Women outnumbered men as an estimated 53.32 per cent voter turnout was recorded in 50 assembly constituencies spread across six districts of Bihar which went to the polls in the third phase on Wednesday.

Chief Electoral Officer Ajay V Nayak told reporters that Buxar recorded maximum 56.58 per cent voter turnout, while Patna saw minimum 51.82 per cent voting.

Continuing with the earlier pattern, women outnumbered men in exercising franchise. While women voter turnout in Wednesday’s polling was 54 per cent it was 52.50 for men, he said.

Nayak said 59 persons were arrested during the day. Besides, 38 motorcycles, two country-made pistols and six cartridges were seized by the security personnel. Voting was, however, peaceful.

He said a 123-year old lady cast vote on booth number 101 in Taraiya Assembly seat in Saran district.

Wednesday’s polling percentage was nearly three per cent more than the total voting percentage in the 2010 state assembly poll but is less than the first two phases of balloting.

The first phase of polling on October 12 witnessed 57 per cent voters turnout and 54.5 per cent in the second phase on October 16.

Giving details, the CEO said Saran recorded 52.50 per cent turnout, Vaishali 54.82 per cent, Nitish Kumar’s home district Nalanda 54.11 per cent, Patna 51.82 per cent, Bhojpur 53.30 per cent and Buxar 56.58 per cent.

Kumar, who cast his vote at a polling booth at Bakhtiyarpur, faced protests from a section of the people agitating over the death of a girl allegedly due to lack of proper medical facility in the area.

Other prominent personalities who exercised their franchise during the day included Governor Ram Nath Kovind and his wife Savita, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi and son Tejaswi and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sushil Kumar Modi.

Union minister Ravishankar Prasad arrived at the polling booth on an e-rickshaw with his mother. Union Minister of State Ramkripal Yadav rode a motorcycle to a booth to cast his vote.

Polling ended at 4 pm in ten constituencies due to security reasons and at 5 pm in the remaining 40.

Meanwhile, four voters, including two women were attacked and injured by a monkey as they stood in queue at a booth at Bhaktiyarpur where Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar cast his vote. 

The incident took place at the booth at Project Girls School and Kumar had cast his vote before it, Station House Officer of Bhakhtiyarpur police station Vinay Krishna said.

An elderly who was among those injured by the primate, however, returned to the booth to cast her vote.

A team of forest department rushed in from Patna and attempted to nab the monkey but failed. The menace did not recur later in the day thanks to vigilant forest officials.

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