Bihar sets new high with 64.66% polling in Phase-I

Amid sporadic incidents of violence, including an attack on Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha’s vehicle, Bihar recorded the “hightest-ever” 64.66 per cent polling in the first-phase of elections for 121 Assembly seats on Thursday.

In a statement, the Election Commission said the first phase of the elections concluded peacefully “in a festive mood with the highest-ever voter turnout of 64.66 per cent in the history of Bihar”.

Lauding the “transparent and dedicated” poll machinery, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said Bihar's highest-ever turnout in the first phase of Assembly polls “is a victory of democracy”. “Bihar has shown the way to the nation. SIR with zero appeals and highest voter turnout since 1951. Purest electoral rolls and enthusiastic participation of electors. Democracy wins,” he said.

In 2020, the turnout was 57.8%. Long queues, with a large presence of women voters, were seen even after 5 pm. PM Modi, in his speeches at Bhagalpur and Araria even as polling was underway, expressed happiness over the large participation of women. The highest polling was in Muzaffarpur and Samastipur (over 70 per cent), while the lowest turnout was in Sheikhpura. Polling in Patna’s urban seats was comparatively low.

The day witnessed clashes between rivals. In Lakhisarai, there was a heated argument between BJP candidate and Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha and RJD MLC Ajay Kumar. Stones and slippers were allegedly pelted at Sinha’s car, after which the attackers fled. “They were RJD goons frustrated that they are losing,” said Sinha. In Saran’s Manjhi constituency, the car of CPI candidate Satyendra Kumar was pelted with stones. In Vaishali, central forces deployed on duty were attacked with stones.

In Siwan, a BJP worker created ruckus when he demanded that women wearing burqa be checked. However, across the constituencies, Muslim women did not object to being verified by women constables or polling staff.

In the Maner Assembly constituency of Patna, RJD candidate Bhai Birendar had a heated exchange with a sub-inspector when he arrived to cast his vote. The officer demanded his ID, which the candidate refused. Besides, there were the usual complaints of polling delays due to malfunctioning EVMs in at least 10 booths.

Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar VS Gunjiyal said the voting percentage was compiled after receiving data from around 42,000 polling booths across the 121 seats. “There are 45,341 booths and data from the remaining booths is yet to come. The participation of women voters was large and, in some places, they even outnumbered male voters,” he said, without giving specific statistics. He described the polls as peaceful apart from a few stray incidents.

Sources said the increased turnout was partly due to a smaller voter list this time compared to the 2020 Assembly polls, as the names of around 67 lakh voters were removed due to death, duplication across constituencies or migration out of Bihar. The timing of the polls immediately after the Chhath festival, when a large number of migrant voters return home, might also have contributed to the higher turnout.

Meanwhile, RJD chief Lalu Prasad, his son Tejashwi Yadav, daughter-in-law Rajeshwari Yadav and daughters Misa and Ragini, along with Rabri Devi, were early voters at the Veterinary College campus.

“While making a chapati, it has to be flipped to the other side,” remarked Lalu after casting his vote. Surprisingly, his wife and former CM Rabri Devi expressed hope that both her sons Tej Pratap and Tejashwi win. Tej Pratap is contesting under his own party’s banner against the RJD candidate.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar travelled to Bakhtiyarpur to cast his vote. He smiled while coming out of the booth. Earlier, he posted on his official handle urging people to vote. Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary voted at Tarapur, the Assembly seat from where he is contesting.

The polling was followed by claims and counter-claims by rivals. “Of the 121 seats that went to poll today, we will win 100,” said Choudhary. Congress MP Akhilesh Singh claimed the Mahagathbandhan was performing well and would win a comfortable majority.

The polls for the 243-member Assembly are being closely watched not only for their local implications but also as an early indicator of the political mood ahead of 2029. The elections follow the highly controversial special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls by the EC, which came under attack from opposition parties for alleged “rigging” and “manipulation” of voter lists. The second and the last phase will be held on November 11, and the counting will take place on November 14.