50% voting in fifth phase of Bihar polls

Around 50% voters —more than 40 million people — defied the Maoist boycott call to cast their ballot in the fifth phase of the Bihar assembly elections on Tuesday.

Around 50% voters —more than 40 million people — defied the Maoist boycott call to cast their ballot in the fifth phase of the Bihar assembly elections on Tuesday.

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Minor incidents of violence marked the largely peaceful polling; one person was killed in Arwal district.

Polling was held in 35 constituencies — 14 of which are Maoist-affected — in eight drought-hit districts of Gaya, Patna, Nalanda, Bhojpur, Arwal, Jehanabad, Nawada and Sheikhpura.

Central paramilitary forces and police personnel were deployed at all polling stations in the Maoist-affected areas.

The police arrested 305 troublemakers and seized 105 vehicles from different places to ensure peaceful polling.

In Maoist-hit constituencies polling was held between 7.00 am and 3.00 pm. The constituencies reported a high turnout of 48%.

Armed rebels burnt an empty bus at Nagma village in Gurua constituency, which will go to the polls in the final phase of polling on November 20, the police said.

In Arwal district, one person was shot dead after a heated argument with some workers of a political party. The police, however, denied that poll-related violence was responsible for the killing.