Bihar elections: 53.54% polling recorded in first phase, says EC

22:05 October 28

Bihar police register 93 cases for COVID guideline violation

93 cases registered for violation of COVID19 guidelines in the first phase of polling for Bihar assembly elections today: ADG Jitendra Kumar, Bihar

20:55 October 28

Bihar recorded a 53.54 per cent polling in the first phase of assembly polls on Wednesday, according to a release by the Chief Electoral Officer Bihar. 

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora earlier addressed a press conference here and said the final figures will come later on the basis of all the votes cast by the electorate. 

"Till 5 pm the voter turnout in Bihar phase one election was 52.24 per cent. In 2015 elections, Phase one turnout was 54.94 per cent and in Lok Sabha elections it was 53.54 per cent. The voting is still underway in some places and the final figures will be out soon," Arora said.

18:39 October 28

PM Narendra Modi will make Bihar 'developed' state if people vote NDA to power: CM Nitish Kumar

18:39 October 28

Voter turnout of 52.24% recorded till 5 pm in the first phase of BiharPolls. In 2015, voter turnout in the first phase of assembly elections was 54.94%, and 53.54% in Lok Sabha elections: Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora

17:45 October 28

51.91% voter turnout recorded till 5 pm

16:55 October 28

Voter turnout data

46.29% voter turnout recorded till 3 pm

16:52 October 28

Congress compares Munger violence with 'JallianwalaBagh massacre'

The Congress on Wednesday flayed the Bihar government while comparing the Munger incident with the JallianwalaBagh massacre and asked if participation in DurgaPuja festivities was a crime in the country.

Addressing a press conference, Abhishek Manu Singhvi compared the incident with the JallianwalaBagh massacre on April 13, 1919, when Acting Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer ordered British Indian Army troops to fire on unarmed civilians at Amritsar.

16:44 October 28

Kauakole people arrive on tractor to cast votes

People of Dhania Gorihia from Kauakole region collected funds arranged for a tractor and travelled about 35 km to reach the polling centre. Voters reached polling booth centre (311) to franchise their vote. Locals have demanded the winning candidate must construct roads as they have to face a lot of problems.

15:41 October 28

Bihar Agriculture Minister Prem Kumar

Senior BJP leader and Bihar Agriculture Minister Prem Kumar landed in a controversy after he visited a polling booth wearing lotus flower printed face mask while casting his vote

15:39 October 28

46.29% voter turnout recorded till 3 pm

Over 46.29% voter turnout has been recorded till 1 pm in the first phase of Bihar assembly polls on Wednesday, the Election Commission said in its provisional data.

At 3 pm, the EC has registered 46.29% voting in 16 districts with Jamui leading the turnout with 49.88% voting, followed by Lakhisarai with 49.84% voting. Buxar clocked a 48.91% voting turnout, Aurangabad 48.69% and Gaya 48.14%.

15:29 October 28

Even as the voting for the first phase of the Bihar Elections was underway on Wednesday, the Mahagathbandhan sought the dismissal of the Nitish Kuma government over the death of a youth during a violent clash in Munger while immersion of Durga idol was going on

15:28 October 28

As polling in the first phase of the Bihar elections began on Wednesday morning, the EC said that over 1 lakh VVPATs, ballot and control units were installed to enable voters exercise their franchise

15:07 October 28

Voter turnout in Bihar

Lakhisarai records maximum voter turnout at 40.1%

The maximum 40.16% voter turnout has been recorded in Lakhisarai, followed by Nawada (38.08%) and Patna, Jamui and Bhagalpur (over 34%). Among other districts, Banka has recorded 33.14% voter turnout, Gaya 32.90% voter turnout and Rohtas 30.26%.

15:06 October 28

Voter turnout in Bihar

33.1 % recorded till 1 am

As per trends till 1 pm, the election commission has registered 33.1 per cent votes in these districts with the maximum 40.16 per cent reported from Lakhisarai followed by 38.08 per cent in Nawada, and 34.76 per cent in Buxar

15:04 October 28

BJP moves EC over Rahul's appeal to vote for polls

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) filed a complaint to Election Commission (EC) against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his tweet posted today asking for votes in the first phase of Bihar elections from voters today.

13:30 October 28

33.10% VOTER TURNOUT TILL 1 PM

A total voter turnout of 33.10 per cent was recorded till 1 pm across 71 Assembly constituencies in the first phase of Bihar elections.

12:37 October 28

Pics of EVMs on social media, EC asks DMs to ensure rules not broken

The Election Commission has given strict instructions to all District Magistrates where voting is underway, after it noticed several pictures of EVMs and VVPATs on social media, which indicate that mobile phones are being taken inside polling booths.

11:54 October 28

18.48% VOTER TURNOUT TILL 11 AM

A voting turnout of 18.48 per cent was recorded till 11 am across 71 Assembly constituencies in the first phase of Bihar elections.

Here are the area-wise figures:

• Nawada - 23.42%
• Banka - 22.58%
• Jamui - 13.91%
• Bhojpur - 16.21%
• Buxar - 19.1%
• Kaimur - 16.98%
• Rohtas - 13%
• Gaya - 19%
• Lakhisarai - 26.76%
• Patna - 18.97%

11:33 October 28

Locals boycott elections over Munger firing

Several locals from Munger have decided to boycott elections, in protest against the firing incident during the Durga immersion yesterday in which one person was killed. The locals blamed the Election Commission for scheduling elections during Durga Puja, which they claimed led to the unfortunate incident.

11:18 October 28

Villagers boycott elections in Lakhisarai

Voters from the Balgudar village in Lakhisarai district have boycotted the elections. Till 8 am in the morning, there was not a single vote cast in polling booth number 112. The villagers are boycotting elections in protest against the construction of a museum on a playground. The locals said they would cast their vote if the land for the playground is returned.

10:43 October 28

BJP polling agent dies

A BJP polling agent Krishna Singh reportedly died after suffering a heart attack at Polling booth number 258 in Nawada district's Hisua Assembly segment.

10:31 October 28

Bihar Minister walks into polling booth with 'BJP' mask

Bihar Minister and BJP leader Prem Kumar seemingly violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), as he arrived at a polling booth in Gaya to cast his vote wearing a mask and a scarf with the saffron party's symbol. However, when questioned by reporters, Kumar said he did not consider his act a violation of the poll code. According to reports, the Election Commission has taken cognisance of Prem Kumar's action, and has reportedly directed the district collector to register an FIR.

10:27 October 28

Voting a responsibility, not just a right: Nitish  

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar appealed to the citizens to exercise their franchise.

"In a democracy, voting is not just a right but also a responsibility. In the first phase of Bihar Assembly elections, voting is on 71 seats today. If you are a voter from these areas, please take the time to vote." he tweeted.

"One vote of yours can keep the help in the development of Bihar," he added.

09:47 October 28

Shreyasi Singh casts vote

Shreyasi Singh casts vote

Indian shooter Shreyasi Singh, the BJP candidate from Jamui, cast her vote at a polling booth in Naya Gaon area of the district.

09:34 October 28

EVM glitches reported across Jamui

EVM glitches were reported in at least two dozen polling stations across the four Assembly segments in Bihar's Jamui district. Voting was delayed by over an hour at a polling station in Jhajha constituency.

09:23 October 28

5.32% voter turnout till 9 am

A voting turnout of 5.32 per cent was recorded till 9 am across 71 Assembly constituencies in the first phase of Bihar elections.

09:08 October 28

Vote for better future: Tejashwi

RJD leader and Mahagathbandhan's chief ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav urged people to vote for a better future, education, health, jobs and development for Bihar.

08:54 October 28

EVM glitch causes voting delay in Jehanabad

Voting at polling booth number 170 in Jehanabad Assembly segment was delayed after a glitch was reportedly detected in the EVM.

08:28 October 28

Nadda urges citizens to vote

BJP national president JP Nadda urged citizens to come out and vote. "Your vote is your biggest strength in a democracy. I request all voters to take part in this grand festival of democracy keeping in mind all COVID-related precautions," Nadda tweeted.

08:11 October 28

2.4% voter turnout till now

A voting turnout of 2.4 per cent was recorded till 8 am across 71 Assembly constituencies in the first phase of Bihar elections.

08:07 October 28

Adequate securtity, COVID measures at all booths: Magadh IG

"We have taken all security measures in every polling booth. Adequate security forces have been deployed, COVID-19 measures have also been taken in all the booths," said Rakesh Rathi, IG Magadh Range.

08:00 October 28

Election biggest festival of democracy: Giriraj

Union Minister Giriraj Singh, who visited a temple in Lakhisarai, urged people to come out and vote. "Election is the biggest festival of democracy. I appeal to everyone to exercise their right to vote," the minister said.

07:57 October 28

First vote, then refreshments: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to exercise their franchise. "Today is the first phase of voting in Bihar assembly elections. I urge all voters to ensure their participation in this festival of democracy, taking precautions related to Covid," he said in a tweet.

The Prime Minister urged voters to maintain social distancing and also wear face-masks.

"Yaad rakhein, pehle matdaan, fir jalpaan! (Remember, first vote, then refreshments!)" Modi told voters.

07:53 October 28

Fear of COVID couldn't stop me: First-time voter

Voting got underway in Bhagalpur district's Sahibganj Assembly segment amid strict COVID protocols. Voters were provided with disposable hand gloves, while social distancing was maintained. An excited first-time voter said fear of COVID could not stop her from participating in the festival of democracy.

07:23 October 28

07:16 October 28

CRPF defuses IEDs in Aurangabad

According to reports, two improvised explosive devices were recovered and defused by the Central Reserve Police Force earlier today in Aurangabad, which is among the 71 Assembly segments where voting is being held today.

07:08 October 28

EVM issue in Lakhisarai

A problem was reportedly detected in the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) at polling booth number 168 in the Lakhisarai Assembly segment.

07:00 October 28

Voting begins

Voting began in Bihar in the first phase of the Assembly elections. Over two crore registered voters will exercise their franchise in 71 Assembly segments spread across 16 districts. 

People deployed on polling duties were seen wearing masks and gloves. Sanitisers will also be used during the voting, the first state election in India amid theCOVID pandemic.

Guidelines have been issued by the Commission for safe conduct of the electoral exercise in the midst of the raging COVID-19 pandemic.

These guidelines include lowering the maximum number of voters for a polling booth from 1,600 to 1,000, staggering of polling hours and extending postal ballot facility for those above 80.

Besides, sanitisation of electronic voting machines, wearing of masks and other protective gear by polling personnel and the availability of thermal scanner, hand sanitiser, soap and water has also to be ensured at polling stations.

06:38 October 28

Tejashwi urges people to exercise franchise

Ahead of voting for the first phase of the Bihar Elections, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader and Mahagathbandham CM face Tejashwi Yadav appealed to people of the state to exercise their right to vote.

06:22 October 28

Bihar Polls LIVE: 53.54% polling recorded in first phase

Patna (Bihar): More than two crore voters in Bihar will decide the fate of 1,066 candidates on Wednesday across 71 assembly segments in the first phase of elections.

Guidelines have been issued by the Election Commission for safe conduct of the electoral exercise, which takes place in the midst of the raging COVID-19 pandemic.

These include lowering the cap on the maximum number of voters for a polling booth from 1,600 to 1,000, staggering of polling hours and postal ballot facility for those aged above 80, or those afflicted with or suspected to be carrying the contagion.

Besides, sanitisation of electronic voting machines, wearing of masks and other protective gear by polling personnel and availability of thermal scanner, hand sanitiser, soap and water will be ensured.

Of the 2.14 crore voters who will exercise their franchise, 1.01 crore are women and 599 belong to the third gender, according to data provided by the Election Commission.

The candidates include 952 men and 114 women, the maximum number (27) being in the fray at Gaya Town and the minimum (5) at Katoria in Banka district.

Among the major political parties, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) is contesting in 35 of the 71 seats, followed by its ally BJP (29), while the opposition RJD has fielded its candidates in 42 and its coalition partner Congress is in the fray in 20 assembly segments.

Lok Janshakti Party, headed by Chirag Paswan, is in the fray in 41 seats, which include all the 35 contested by the JD(U), in keeping with the call given by the young party president, who recently pulled out of the NDA in the state, to "dislodge" the chief minister from power.

Prominent candidates include Shreyasi Singh, the Commonwealth Games gold medallist shooter who is making her debut at the age of 27 as the BJP candidate from Jamui.

Chirag Paswan, who represents Jamui Lok Sabha and insists that he remains loyal to the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has assured full support of his party to the young debutant.

Shreyasi Singh is pitted against Vijay Prakash Yadav of the RJD, the sitting MLA whose elder brother Jaiprakash Narayan Yadav is a former Union minister and a close aide of party supremo Lalu Prasad.

Notably, the former Union minister's 28-year-old daughter Divya Prakash is also making her debut in the adjoining Tarapur constituency as the candidate of her father's party.

Six members of the state cabinet Prem Kumar (Gaya Town), Vijay Kumar Sinha (Lakhisarai), Ram Narayan Mandal (Banka), Krishnanandan Prasad Verma (Jehanabad), Jaikumar Singh (Dinara) and Santosh Kumar Nirala (Rajpur) are in the fray in the first phase.

Of the six, Verma, Singh and Nirala belong to the JD(U), while the remaining are from the BJP. The JD(U) ministers seek to win their seats contending with the LJP factor.

Moreover, Verma, who has held key portfolios like education and social welfare, faces the additional challenge of wresting an RJD bastion for his party, having been asked to shift base from Ghosi where the JD(U) has fielded Rahul Kumar.

Kumar's father Jagdish Sharma, disqualified upon conviction in the fodder scam, had formerly represented the Ghosi assembly seat as well as the Jehanabad Lok Sabha constituency.

The reserved Imamganj seat in Gaya district, which falls under Aurangabad Lok Sabha constituency, will see a proverbial clash of titans.

Former chief minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha president Jitan Ram Manjhi, who is the NDA candidate, is the sitting MLA.

His bid to retain the seat is challenged by his predecessor Uday Narayan Chaudhary who had been associated with the JD(U) till a few years ago but is now in the fray as the RJD nominee.

(PTI Report)