The first phase of Bihar Assembly elections passed off peacefully on Thursday as enthusiastic voters participated in large numbers in 121 constituencies, marking a festive and positive atmosphere at the polling stations. Chief Electoral Officer Vinod Singh Gunjial said that about 65% of registered voters had exercised their franchise. He pointed out that the final percentage could go up marginally when all data were compiled.
Except for sporadic incidents of clashes in Lakhisarai and Saran, the election process was largely peaceful and incident-free. This time, the voter turnout eclipsed all previous records and significantly improved from 57.29% recorded in the previous election and 62.57% recorded in 2000.
Several districts reported impressing polling numbers:
In contrast, Patna recorded a lower turnout at 57.93%
Many prominent political figures exercised their right to vote, which included:
Several other state and central ministers
Voter boycotts were reported from some polling booths in Buxar, Fatuha and Suryagarh.
Polling for the second phase will be held on November 11 for 122 seats. Counting of votes is scheduled on November 14.
Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha accused the RJD supporters of attacking his convoy with sandals, cow dung, and stones in the Lakhisarai constituency. He also claimed that the local administration did not take cognizance of complaints regarding attempts to capture a polling booth. The Election Commission asked the DGP to take immediate action on the incident.
The authorities strengthened security along the India–Nepal border to ensure smooth conduct of elections.
"A Victory for Democracy" - Chief Election Commissioner Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar termed the record turnout as "a victory for democracy." He further said that the election process was transparent, fair, and efficiently managed. He praised Bihar for setting an example for the rest of the country and reaffirmed that democracy will continue to thrive through such active participation.
