JOIN USBihar registered an all-time high turnout in the ongoing Assembly elections, as at least 56.8 per cent of the state’s 6.68 crore voters took part in the five-phased polling, which came to its end on Thursday.
The Election Commission (EC) said while over 60 per cent of the voters took part in the fifth and final phase of polling in Bihar, the overall turnout was higher than past elections in the state.
It also noted that polling in all the five phases saw women outnumbering men in exercising their franchise – 59.92 per cent against 54.07 per cent. Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha told journalists in New Delhi that while the turnout in Bihar in 2009 and 2014 Lok Sabha polls had been 44.46 and 55.38 per cent; information received so far indicated that 56.80 per cent cast votes in the just-concluded polls.
The state had recorded a turnout of 52.65 per cent in 2010 Assembly elections, noted Sinha. He said that polling in all the five phases had been by and large peaceful, despite fears over disturbance to law and order, violence, attempts to trigger communal strife and attacks by ultra-left insurgents.
“The EC worked for several months to ensure peaceful polling in Bihar,” said Sinha, adding that the commission had made it sure that all polling stations had deployment of personnel of central paramilitary forces. While the EC had set up 62,779 polling stations across the state, only two required re-polling till the end of fourth phase.
Sinha noted that reports received till evening indicated that the fifth and final phase of polling in 57 constituencies in nine districts on Thursday had recorded at least 60 per cent turnout.
Polling for 243 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Bihar commenced on October 12, when 49 constituencies went to polls with 55.81 per cent turnout. The second and third phase of polling on October 16 and October 28 saw 32 and 50 constituencies going to polls and 55.45 per cent and 53.74 per cent of the voters casting votes respectively.