Patna: A total of 34.82 per cent of the electorate had exercised their franchise in the first six hours after polling started Saturday in 78 Assembly segments in Bihar during the third and final phase of state elections, officials said.
Sukhdev Mondal, a centenarian, cast his vote at Balua locality in Katihar district. His family said that even though he was ill, he expressed his desire to exercise his franchise.
His family members put him on a ‘charpai’ and took him to booth number 29 to enable him to cast his vote. The Election Commission appreciated his sense of duty.
Enthusiasm was witnessed among Bihar voters across 15 districts, especially women. There were reports of glitches in EVMs at certain polling booths, but these were either replaced or set right.
In Muzaffarpur, a group of differently abled voters turned out to vote at different polling booths. The district administration gave appreciation certificates to some of first-time voters who were differently abled. Muzaffarpur has 22,000 such voters on the electoral rolls.
Reports said villagers in Muzaffarpur district also constructed a makeshift bamboo bridge to facilitate prospective voters to cross a water stream and reach polling booths in the area.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission said an average 34.82 per cent voting was recorded till 1 pm in 78 Assembly segments, with maximum 40.15 per cent in Muzaffarpur, 37.99 per cent in Vaishali and 37.58 per cent in Saharsa.
The polling percentage in West Champaran was 35.81, East Champaran 33.62, Sitamarhi 31.51, Supaul 35.73, Araria 32.79, Kishanganj 34.45, Purnea 36.86, Katihar 35.34, Madhepura 33.93, Samastipur 34.16, and Darbhanga 26.58.
In the bypoll for the Valmiki Nagar Lok Sabha constituency, 35.81 per cent polling was recorded till 1 pm.
Meanwhile, Chief Electoral Officer HR Srinivas confirmed that security forces had fired in the air at polling booth 282 in Dhamdaha in Purnea district. He said that voting was not disrupted due to the firing, which followed heated arguments between villagers and security forces after the latter allegedly beat up voters for breaking a queue. Earlier report said that police had detained three persons.
IANS