47 percent polling in Bihar

Voting in the by-election to the Maharajganj Lok Sabha seat in Bihar passed off peacefully Sunday with 47 percent polling, officials said.

"About 47 percent polling was recorded... It passed off peacefully barring some group clashes between supporters of rival candidates," said a police official. There were 15 lakh voters.

Police arrested a dozen troublemakers Sunday.

The seat fell vacant after the death of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Umashankar Singh.

The main candidates were Janata Dal-United's P.K. Sahi, the state education minister, RJD's Prabhunath Singh and Jitendra Swami of Congress who is the son of Umashankar Singh.

The JD-U was backed by the Bharatiya Janata Party while the RJD had the support of the Lok Janshakti Party.