Polling officials during the submission of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) and other election material after the end of the seventh and last phase of the Lok Sabha polls in Patna.
Credit: PTI Photo
Patna: Barring a few minor incidents, polling for the last phase of Lok Sabha elections in Bihar remained by and large peaceful, with 50.56% of voting for the eight parliamentary constituencies in the state.
While Patna Sahib recorded the lowest turnout with 45 per cent, the adjoining Pataliputra, from where Lalu Prasad’s daughter Misa Bharti is in the fray, recorded the highest polling with 56.9 per cent.
Lalu, along with former CM Rabri Devi and daughter Rohini Acharya (who is contesting from Saran) cast their votes in Patna. However, the BJP has lodged a case against Lalu for violation of the Model Code of Conduct as he was wearing an attire that had lantern, the RJD symbol, embossed on it.
“It appeared Prasad was trying to influence voters inside the polling station. This is clearly a violation of Representation of People Act and MCC,” said the complaint, signed by several office bearers of the state BJP, including legal cell head SD Sanjay,.
Boycott over no water
In Karakat constituency, where former Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha is in the fray, the voters boycotted polling at booth number 172, protesting against the non-availability of drinking water and motorable roads.
In Ara, where Union Power Minister RK Singh is in the fray, reports are pouring in about firing during a clash between the supporters of two camps, in which two persons sustained gunshot injuries.
Firing was reported at Jehanabad too, but no one was injured. Police have detained two persons in this connection.
The Agiaon assembly segment, under the Arrah Lok Sabha seat, where by-election was held simultaneously, recorded a turnout of 46 per cent. The bypoll was necessitated due to the disqualification of CPI (ML) Liberation MLA Manoj Manzil following his conviction in a murder case.
Voting first
The EC has been consistently trying to increase the voting percentage in Bihar. One such appeal had its cascading effect in the Makhdoompur Assembly segment of the Jehanabad Parliamentary constituency where a family decided that the eligible members would cast their votes at booth number 151 and then perform the last rites of an elderly woman who had passed away a few hours before polling.
With Saturday’s poll, the fate of former Union ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad (Patna Sahib), RK Singh (Ara) and former minister Ram Kripal Yadav (Pataliputra) has been sealed.
(With PTI inputs)
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