<p>This is more than the 47.36 percent recorded in the 2005 assembly polls, and 43.75 percent in 2009 Lok Sabha polls. <br /><br />Polling was held in 48 constituencies in six districts of East Champaran, West Champaran, Gopalganj, Sivan, Saran and Vaishali, covering a total population of 10,376,022.<br /><br />According to the Election Commission, the polling was peaceful barring some minor incidents. <br /><br /><br /><br />“The poll percentage is increasing, there may be many reasons including voter awareness programmes and confidence building messages,” Deputy Election Commissioner Vinod Zutshi said in New Delhi.<br /><br />“There is also increase in number of women voters, they could reach the polling stations fearlessly,” he said. Some minor incidents reported included arrest of a constable and a polling officer Keshav Kumar Pandey in Gopalganj for arriving on duty in a drunken state. <br /><br />A voter, Lala Rai was also arrested in Vaishali for damaging a ballot unit. No incidents of booth capturing were reported. Some 221 arrests were made before the polls as preventive measure and 91 vehicles were impounded. <br /><br />The election commission also informed that poll boycott was reported from 3 booths in East Champaran, West Champaran and Gopalganj, on development issues.</p>
<p>This is more than the 47.36 percent recorded in the 2005 assembly polls, and 43.75 percent in 2009 Lok Sabha polls. <br /><br />Polling was held in 48 constituencies in six districts of East Champaran, West Champaran, Gopalganj, Sivan, Saran and Vaishali, covering a total population of 10,376,022.<br /><br />According to the Election Commission, the polling was peaceful barring some minor incidents. <br /><br /><br /><br />“The poll percentage is increasing, there may be many reasons including voter awareness programmes and confidence building messages,” Deputy Election Commissioner Vinod Zutshi said in New Delhi.<br /><br />“There is also increase in number of women voters, they could reach the polling stations fearlessly,” he said. Some minor incidents reported included arrest of a constable and a polling officer Keshav Kumar Pandey in Gopalganj for arriving on duty in a drunken state. <br /><br />A voter, Lala Rai was also arrested in Vaishali for damaging a ballot unit. No incidents of booth capturing were reported. Some 221 arrests were made before the polls as preventive measure and 91 vehicles were impounded. <br /><br />The election commission also informed that poll boycott was reported from 3 booths in East Champaran, West Champaran and Gopalganj, on development issues.</p>
