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Patna, Nov 6 (PMI): The first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections concluded peacefully on Thursday, registering a voter turnout of 64.46 per cent, the highest since the 2000 polls, according to Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vinod Gunjyal.
Addressing a press conference, Gunjyal said that the first phase saw polling across 45,341 booths, with data available from 41,943 of them so far. “The current turnout stands at 64.46 per cent, and the final figure will be announced after full data compilation,” he said.
A total of 3.75 crore voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in this phase, including 1.98 crore men and 1.76 crore women. The CEO noted that the enthusiasm among women voters was particularly high.
Over two lakh senior citizens aged 85 and above participated in the first phase. Of the polling booths, 8,608 were in urban areas, while 36,733 were in rural regions.
As many as 1,314 candidates were in the fray, comprising 1,192 men and 122 women.
Gunjyal also reported that 47,263 ballot units, 45,341 control units, and an equal number of VVPATs were used during polling. During the process, 165 ballot units, 169 control units, and 480 VVPATs had to be replaced — accounting for 1.21 per cent of the total machines, a lower rate compared to 1.87 per cent replacements in the 2020 Assembly polls.
“The voting process went smoothly, with no untoward incidents reported. All 143 complaints received during polling were addressed promptly,” Gunjyal said. He added that reports of voting boycotts were received from a few polling stations, including Brahmapur (Buxar district), Fatuha, and Suryagarha (Lakhisarai district), but were resolved in time.
The second phase of polling for the remaining 122 constituencies will be held on November 11, while counting of votes will take place on November 14, he added. ( pressmediaofindia.com)
