31.80 per cent voting recorded till 12 noon in last phase

Around 31.80 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 12 noon in 57 constituencies spread over nine districts in the fifth and final phase of Assembly election in Bihar, during which a polling officer died due to heart attack in Darbhanga district.

Additional Chief Electoral Officer R Lakshamanan said 31.80 per cent votes were polled till 12 noon in the districts of Madhubani, Supual, Araria, Kisanganj, Purnea and Katihar Madhepura, Saharsa, and Darbhanga.

As per an EC bulletin, Madhubani recorded 27.49 per cent of voting, Supual 35.74 per cent, Araria 34.05 per cent, Kisanganj 30.50 per cent, Purnea 33.36 per cent, Katihar 32.12 per cent, Madhepura 36.73 per cent, Saharsa 31.83, and Darbhanga 30 per cent.
Madhepura district recorded maximum turnout of 36.73 per cent while Madhubani recorded the lowest turnout of 27.49 per cent till noon.

Meanwhile, polling officer Bindeshwar Sah died of heart attack at a polling station number 34 in Hawi Bauwar village under Benipur constituency in Darbhanga district.
Sah, an employee of Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital, suffered a heart attack when the polling was on. He died at a hospital later, District Magistrate Kumar Ravi said.
Sah has been replaced by another polling officer.

The last phase of polling also saw much enthusiasm among voters.
Escorted by relatives, a 100-year-old man and his wife were seen going to vote in Kishanganj district.

Prominent personalities who cast their votes included BJP national spokesman Shahnawaz Hussain and JD(U) national president Sharad Yadav. Both leaders claimed their alliance will get two-third majority in the elections.