Polling begins for 2nd phase of assembly elections in Bihar

Polling has begun for the second phase of assembly elections in Bihar. Voting is taking place in 94 constituencies spread over 17 districts including Patna, Vaishali, Sitamarhi, Darbhanga and Madhubani.

Polling, which began at 7 this morning, will end at 6 pm. Over 2.86 crore voters will decide the fate of 1,463 candidates. They include 146 women and one transgender.

Elaborate arrangements have been made to ensure free and fair polling. Chief Electoral Officer HR Srinivasa said, polling will be upto 4 pm in eight Naxal-affected constituencies including Raghopur, Paru, Minapur and Alauli. Out of 41 thousand 362 booths eight thousand 694 booths are sensitive. Election Commission has made arrangements of live webcasting from 3,548 booths.

Additional Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Kumar Singh told AIR that additional security forces have been deployed in Naxal-infested areas to ensure trouble-free polling.

Election Commission has issued orders to follow COVID-19 protocol during the conduct of elections. Every person has been instructed to wear mask during election related activities.

Electorates have to wear mask during exercising their right of franchise. Thermal scanning of all persons will be carried out and sanitizers will be made available at all locations during polling. All polling booths have already been sanitized. In view of COVID situation, only one thousand electors will exercise their right of franchise at each Polling Station instead of 1,500.

BJP is contesting on 46 seats, JD(U) 43 and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) five seats in this phase. While RJD is contesting 56 seats, Congress has fielded 24 candidates. LJP has fielded 52 candidates, RLSP-36, BSP-33 and NCP-29 candidates.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed to all voters to cast their votes in large numbers during the second phase of Assembly elections in Bihar today and make the festival of democracy successful. He said, during this exercise, they should wear mask alongwith following social distancing.

The Prime Minister also said that today, there are by-polls taking place in various places across India. He also urged those voting in these seats to vote in large numbers and strengthen the festival of democracy.

Home Minister Amit Shah has appealed to all the voters of the second phase of Assembly elections in Bihar to strengthen democracy by voting in large numbers to maintain peace, prosperity and progress in the state. In a tweet, Mr Shah said, the valuable vote of every person of Bihar has brought the State on the path of development and good governance by taking it out of the dark era of loot and crime.