E-Paper
1st phase of panchayat polls over, turnout 60%
The overall voter turnout was 60% and females surpassed male voters in exercising their franchise to elect representatives for three-tier rural local bodies.
PATNA
The first phase of panchayat polls in Bihar, held at 2,119 polling stations spread over 12 blocks in 10 districts, passed off largely peacefully, except stray incidents of skirmishes and police firing to disperse miscreants at a booth in Aurangabad, state poll panel officials said.
The overall voter turnout was 60% and females surpassed male voters in exercising their franchise to elect representatives for three-tier rural local bodies.
“The first phase of polls passed off peacefully and voting was held in a free and fair manner. The voter turnout is also encouraging,” State Election Commissioner Dr Deepak Prasad said at a press conference after the polling was over at 5 pm.
Asked about the police firing at Navgarh panchayat in Aurangabad, the SEC said it was a minor incident.
Sources said police had to fire six rounds to disperse miscreants who were trying to capture a booth at the behest of a Mukhiya candidate around 9.30 am. The police arrested four persons in this connection. In another incident, anti-social elements partially damaged a police jeep at Tarapur in Munger.
Prasad said complaints related to polling malpractices or other discrepancies were negligible due to measures like verifying voters identity through biometric machines and webcasting. “However, 26 persons were rounded up for bogus voting,” he said.
Asked about complaints of biometric system not working at a few places, the SEC said these snags were promptly addressed.
In the first phase, polling was held for 4,646 posts, for which 15,078 candidates were in the fray.
As per SEC data till 3 pm, male voter turnout was 46.67% and female 55.06%.
