Bihar panchayat polls: 55.02% turnout in 2nd phase

Addressing a press conference, the SEC said the turnout among women voters, which stood at 60.02%, was higher than the turnout among male voters (46.02%).

The second phase of panchayat polls in Bihar, in which polling was held in 48 blocks of 34 districts, concluded peacefully on Wednesday with overall voter turnout of 55.02%, state election commissioner(SEC) Dr Deepak Prasad said.

People stand in queues to cast their votes for the second phase of the Bihar Panchayat elections 2021, in Hajipur, Wednesday. (PTI)

Addressing a press conference, the SEC said the turnout among women voters, which stood at 60.02%, was higher than the turnout among male voters (46.02%).

“Despite the festival of Jitiya, women voters’ participation was very good, “ said Prasad.

He declined to comment on queries as to why voting percentage in today’s polling had dropped as compared to the first phase on September 24.

Though the polling was peaceful by and large, a few instances of malpractices were reported. At booth number 101 of Rajpur panchayat in Buxar district, the presiding officer was removed after complaints of alleged irregularities while at booth number 87 in Araria district, ballot papers were misplaced. “We are serving show cause notices on the polling personnel for this lapse. However, voting at the booth was not disturbed as ballot papers were sent promptly, “ said the SEC.

The police arrested 166 people during the day on various charges and seized one weapon, four live cartridges and 44 vehicles.

Total number of candidates in the second phase was 71,467. Total number of posts for which polling was held in the second phase was 21,131, of which candidates were elected unopposed in 3,402 while for 319 posts, no nomination was filed.

ASI thrashed

A group of villagers thrashed an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) at a booth in East Champaran district.

According to officials, the incident occurred at booth number 48 of Phenhara in Pakaridayal subdivision when ASI Ajay Kumar Rai spotted few people without identity proof. “When the ASI prevented them from casting votes, they assaulted them,” said Kumar Ravindra, subdivisional magistrate (SDM), Pakaridayal.

A video footage that went viral on social media shows a man dragging the ASI by his shirt and others thrashing him as the polling was underway. The situation was brought under control after East Champaran superintendent of police (SP) Navin Chand Jha reached the spot with reinforcements.

“We have arrested one person in this connection and others involved in the incident have been identified,” Jha said.

Man in queue falls dead

In Ara, a 70-year-old man died while waiting in a queue to cast his vote.

The deceased was identified as Rameshwar Mahto of Pitro village under Lahthan panchayat.

Brajesh Kumar, station house officer of the local Agiaon Bazar police station, said the incident took place at booth number 170. “Suddenly, he became unconscious and fell on the ground. He was rushed by his family members to a doctor who declared him dead. The man probably suffered a heart attack,” the SHO said.