54.04% turn up to vote in 2nd phase of Bihar bypolls

Patna: The second phase of assembly elections in Bihar for 94 seats concluded peacefully on Tuesday with few incidents of violence.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) had registered 54.05 percent till 6 PM. The polling is over 2 per cent lower when compared to the 2015 assembly election when the ECI had registered 56.17 per cent polling in these areas.

The maximum polling turnout was at Muzaffarpur with 59.98 per cent followed by Begusarai at 58.67 per cent and Sitamarhi at 57.4 per cent.

The turnout in other districts such as East Champaran was 56.75 per cent, West Champaran 55.99 per cent, Sheohar 56.04 per cent, Darbhanga 54.15 per cent, Madhubani 52.67 per cent, Gopalganj 55.09 per cent, Siwan 51.88 per cent, Saran 54.15 per cent, Vaishali 51.93 per cent, Samastipur 56.02 per cent, Khagaria 56.10 per cent, Bhagalpur 54.54 per cent, Nalanda 51.06 per cent and Patna 48.23 per cent.

Bihar's chief electoral officer H.R. Srinivas said a total of 1463 candidates were in the fray including 1316 male, 146 female and one third gender.

The ECI has used 50,115 control units, 73,210 ballot units (EVMs)and 53853 VVPATS in the 94 constituencies.

"We have deployed 47 general observers, 15 police observers, 3260 micro observers, 634 model polling stations, 3111 Android phones and 1572 video cameras in this election," added Srinavas.