As Bihar heads for what seems to be a mini-Lok sabha election, with 49 constituencies from across 10 districts going to polls today, this battlefield has definitely become the political potpourri.
Here are the key highlights:
57% turnout in first phase of Bihar assembly polls: EC
Khagaria records highest voter percentage till now at 61.32%
Voting ends for the first phase of the Bihar assembly elections.
52.12% voter turnout has been recorded until 4pm.
The Voter turnout recorded until 4 pm :Samastipur 52.52%, Begusarai 52.6%, Khagaria 61.32%, Bhagalpur 48.57%, Banka 51.43%, Munger 57.71%, Lakhisarai 47.47%, Sheikhpura 53.06%, Nawada 46.91%, Jamui 56.85%
Voting ends in constituencies considered to be strongholds of Maoists, including all four constituencies in Jamui.
49% poll percentage recorded till 3 pm
Polling sealed off in the naxal affected Jamui (Bihar) at 3pm
Till 2pm Samastipur recorded 45.88% turnout, Begusarai 48.78%, Khagaria 51.21%, Bhagalpur 41.88%, Banka 46.52%, Munger 54.14%, Lakhisarai 41.88%, Sheikhpura 45.53%, Nawada 44% and Jamui 47.15%.
44% polling has been reported till 2 pm
Shots fired at LJP candidate Vijay Kumar by unidentified persons at Jamui; he escapes unhurt
#BiharPolls: 39% voter turnout till now
— ANI (@ANI_news) October 12, 2015
Jamui records highest voter percentage till now at 40.77%
Polling does not take place at booth number 280 in Jamui; polling party fails to reach booth.
Firing incident reported at Maheshwari, Chakai constituency. One person has been arrested.
33% polling has been reported in the first five hours of the first phase of elections
Polling in four constituencies, Alauli, Beldaur, Katoria and Belhar, will end at 4pm. Polling for remaining 36 constituencies will end at 5pm.
Four injured in clashes between workers of NDA and the grand alliance near booth number 156 in Jamui
Khagaria records highest voter percentage till now at 34.43%
27.34% per cent polling was reported in the first four hours of the first phase of elections and 23% voter turnout was recorded in Jamui until 10 am.
20.15% per cent polling was reported in the first three hours of the first phase of elections. Polling started at 7 am.
Here is list of major parties contesting with the number of seats:
Party No. of seats
BSP 41
BJP 27
RJD 17
LJP 13
Congress 8
RLSP 6
CPI 25
CPI(M) 12
Earlier in the day, around 13% turnout was recorded in the first two hours of polling in 49 assembly constituencies of Bihar in a peaceful atmosphere.
“Till 9 AM. 13 per cent turnout has been recorded in all the 49 assembly constituencies going to polls in the first phase. Polling is peaceful in the state as we have received no information of any untoward untoward incident,” Additional Chief Electoral Officer R Lakshmanan said.
While Banka has recorded a maximum turnout of 14%, Samastipur recorded the lowest turnout of seven% till 9 AM.
Meanwhile, a CRPF commandant, identified as P K Mishra, and his body guard Mantu Kumar were injured in a road mishap in Bihar’s Munger district during patrolling of elections.
The motor-cycle borne commandant and the jawan were injured when they lost control of the vehicle in order to save an animal, Mishra, who has been admitted to Sadar hospital, said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also urged voters to vote in large numbers.
Urging all those voting today in Bihar to vote in large numbers. I particularly urge my young friends to cast their vote.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 12, 2015
Over 1.35 crore voters will decide the electoral fortune of 583 candidates, including 54 women in this phase