Patna: There has been a slight increase in the polling percentage in Bihar vis-a-vis 2009 elections with 60 per cent polling recorded in seven Lok Sabha seats on Thursday as compared to 55.22 last general elections.
While Supual registered 59 per cent voting till 6 pm, it was 60 per cent in Araria, 64 per cent in Kisanganj, 64 per cent in Katihar, 59 per cent in Purnia, 55 per cent in Bhagalpur and 56.43 per cent in Banka, an Election Commission statement said.
Voting percentage rise was maximum in Kisanganj and Katihar seats this time as compared to the last elections.
In 2009, the polling percentage for Supaul was 54.52, Araria 55.71, Kishanganj 52.84, Katihar 56.94, Purnia 53.98, Bhagalpur 43.89, Banka 48.74.
BJP's Shahnawaz Hussain, NCP general secretary Tariq Anwar and senior RJD leader Mohammad Taslimuddin were among the 108 candidates whose fate was sealed in the EVMs on Thursday.
Additional Director General of Police (Headquarters) Ravindra Kumar said that 98 anti-socials were arrested during the day for disturbing the voting process.
In Supual seat, Rs 1.68 lakh unaccounted cash was seized, he said, adding, the Indian Muslim League candidate from the constituency Mohammad Amanullah was arrested on the charge of influencing voters.
There was report of delay in polling in 20 booths in Katihar due to snags in EVM machines. There were also reports of technical problems in EVMs in some other constituencies which were rectified, election office sources said.
The contest in Kisanganj took a sharp turn after withdrawal of JDU nominee Akhtarul Iman from the fray and the fight becoming one to one between Maulana Asrarul Haque of Congress and BJP's Dilip Kumar Jaiswal.
In the bypoll at the two Assembly seats of Baisi in Purnia and Kochadhaman in Kisanganj, 59 per cent and 63 per cent overall voting was recorded respectively, the EC statement said.
In Kochadhaman Assembly segment, a vehicle of RJD candidate Intiqab Alam was seized for moving without permission, EC officials said.
Except for the two Assembly segments of Katoria and Belhar in Banka Lok Sabha seat, where voting ended two hours earlier at 4 pm as the area has Maoist influence, polling ended at 6 pm at all other places.
There was visible enthusiasm among voters at most booths. In Katihar, a 90-year-old woman Ram Pyari was seen coming to a polling station after crossing a rivulet carried by four persons on a charpoy.
In Purnia, an elderly woman who was the first to cast her vote in a booth, was presented with flowers by the polling officials.
In Supual, located along the Indo-Nepal border, many elderly people and physically challenged persons were seen reaching polling stations with the help of young ones.
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