Stray violence in Bihar municipal polls; 57 pc turnout recorded

The results would be declared on December 30.Polling was largely peaceful in the state, State Election Commissioner SEC, Deepak Prasad told reporters in Patna.However, some stray cases of violence were also reported in some areas.In one such incident, a clash broke out between supporters of two candidates near a booth in Patel Nagar area in Nalanda town.

Stray incidents of violence marred polling for the urban local bodies in Bihar on Wednesday, with 57.17 per cent of the nearly 62 lakh voters exercising their franchise, officials said.

Patna Municipal Corporation is among the 17 municipal corporations, two nagar parishads and 49 nagar panchayats where voting was held amid tight security.

The voters have sealed the political fate of 11,127 candidates across 23 districts in the state. The results would be declared on December 30.

“Polling was largely peaceful in the state,” State Election Commissioner (SEC), Deepak Prasad told reporters in Patna.

However, some stray cases of violence were also reported in some areas.

In one such incident, a clash broke out between supporters of two candidates near a booth in Patel Nagar area in Nalanda town. A few people suffered injuries as members of the two groups assaulted and pelted each other with stones, officials said.

The situation was brought under control when District Magistrate Shashank Shubhankar reached the spot along with additional security personnel.

There was an allegation of firing during voting in another part of the town, but it was not confirmed by the authorities.

In Katihar, voting was disrupted at a polling booth for a few minutes because of a power cut.

Altogether 15 complaints of violation of electoral norms were received at the control room from polling centres, the SEC said.

As many as 61,94,826 electors were eligible to exercise their franchise in 1,529 wards across 23 districts.

“The maximum voter turnout was recorded in Khagaria at 68.39 per cent and the lowest, 39.17 per cent, was in Patna,” Prasad said.

Till 3 pm, the police arrested 186 people and seized 50 vehicles on the charges of violating electoral norms. Besides, the authorities also seized Rs 78,110 in unaccounted cash from various places in the state.