2nd phase polling for Bihar Assembly elections conclude

POLLING  in  94 constituencies spreading over 17 districts for the 243-Member Bihar Legislative  Assembly concluded today. The first phase of the polling was held on October 28 in 71 segments and the last phase of the polling will be held on November 7. The results will be declared on November 10. Among those who voted on Tuesday were Governor Phagu Chauhan, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD leaders and candidate Tejaswi Prasad, who is heading the opposition alliance. The 17 districts in the second phase included Patna, Vaishali, Sitamarhi, Darbhanga and Mahbubani districts. There were over 2.86 crore voters to decide the fate of 1,463 candidates. They include 146 women and one transgender. Elaborate arrangements were made to ensure free and fair polling. Chief Electoral Officer HR Srinivasa said polling would be up to 4 pm in eight Naxal-affected constituencies including Raghopur, Paru, Manipur and Alauli. Out of 41 thousand 362 booths, eight thousand 694 booths were identified sensitive. Election Commission had made arrangements of live webcasting from 3,548 booths. Additional Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Kumar Singh told AIR that additional security forces were 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 masks during election-related activities. Electorates have to wear masks 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 masks along with 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, in a tweet, 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.