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Voting for 78 seats, spread across 16 districts, in the third and final phase of the Bihar Assembly elections concluded on Saturday, 7 November, with a 54% voter turnout till 5:00 pm. The counting of votes will take place on 10 November.
The polling this time around is concentrated in north Bihar and the Seemanchal region.
The voting for the first and second phases was held on 28 October and 3 November, respectively. The results for the three-phased elections, held amid the COVID-19 pandemic, will be declared on 10 November.
The third phase of Bihar elections recorded a 54% voter turnout recorded till 5 pm.
The third phase of Bihar elections recorded a 45.85% voter turnout recorded till 3 pm, according to the Election Commission of India.
Five rounds were fired at a polling booth in Dhamdaha in Purnea district during Phase 3 polling, sources told Firstpost.
According to reports, firing incident was triggered after heated arguments between villagers and security forces over breaking queue lines. Three people have been held in connection with the incident.
Bihar recorded 34.82% voter turnout till 1:00 pm in the third phase of State Assembly elections.
Bihar recorded 19.77% voter turnout till 11:00 am in the third phase of State Assembly elections, reported news agency ANI, quoting Election Commission.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said that JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar will be bid farewell by the people of Bihar in the ongoing state Assembly.
“Nitishji is a very big leader. He has been playing his innings. If a leader says that this is my last election, he should bid farewell with dignity. The people of Bihar were waiting for this farewell opportunity. People will retire him in this election,” Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said.
7.69 percent voter turnout was recorded till 9 am in the third phase of Bihar elections.
Voting is underway for by-election in Valmiki Nagar parliamentary seat, following the demise of sitting JD(U) MP Baidyanath Mahato.
Results will be announced aloong with state election results on 10 November.
“I request all voters to participate in this festival of democracy in large numbers and set a new voting record. However, it is necessary to wear masks and maintain social distancing,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.
The Bihar elections are seeing a multi-cornered contest, with main players being the ruling JD(U) and BJP alliance, the mahagathbandhan of the RJD and the Congress, and Chirag Paswan's LJP, which has voiced support for BJP but is fighting against the current CM Nitish Kumar's JD(U).
While JD(U)‘s Nitish Kumar is the NDA's chief ministerial face, reports point out to a high level of anti-incumbency in the state. There is also speculation over what role the BJP could play in this election, considering Chirag Paswan's party is fighting against the JD(U), but siding with BJP.
At a rally in Bihar’s Purnia, while Kumar asked the crowd to vote for JD(U), he said, “This is the last day of the election, day after are the polls. This is my last election. Ant bhala to sab bhala (All’s well that ends well).”
Meanwhile, Tejashwi Yadav is leading the charge for the mahagathbandhan and has focused his campaign on the issues of unemployment and the economy.
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Published: 07 Nov 2020,07:11 AM IST