Bihar elections: 53.54% votes cast till 6 pm

The first elections in the country since Covid-19 pandemic – held for seventy-one assembly constituencies of Bihar on Wednesday – were peaceful with people allowed to cast their votes beyond 6pm.

As a rule of the Election Commission of India, voting is never allowed beyond 5pm. The voting time was extended by one hour to avoid crowding in booths. Voting continued even after 6pm, the election commission said.

About 53.54% voter turnout was recorded till 6pm, up from 46.29% till 3pm.

Meanwhile, both the NDA and the ‘Mahagatbandhan’ were geared up on Wednesday for the second phase of polls scheduled on November 3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addressed rallies in the state on Wednesday.

“The turnout is projected to be more than the last Lok Sabha and Assembly election. It is encouraging that even during Covid-19 pandemic, people came out to cast votes,” chief election commissioner Sunil Arora said.

Also read: Anurag Thakur warns against voting for RJD that ‘created jungle raj in Bihar’

The turnout was relatively low till 11am with just 18.30% voters coming out to exercise their right.

Union minister and senior BJP leader Giriraj Singh cast his vote at a polling booth in Lakhisarai, while former Bihar chief minister and HAM president Jitan Ram Manjhi exercised his franchise at a booth in Gaya. State ministers and also candidates from different constituencies- Vijay Sinha and Krishnandan Verma- and Commonwealth Games gold medal winning shooter Shreyasi Singh, BJP nominee from Jamui seat, cast their vote.

The BJP has accused Rahul Gandhi of violating Model Code of Conduct as the Congress leader on Wednesday morning tweeted urging voters to cast their votes in favour of the Mahagathbandhan. The Election Commission has ordered an FIR against BJP leader and Bihar agriculture minister Prem Kumar for casting his vote wearing a mask with his party’s symbol on it.