The polling for the fifth phase in Bihar was completed by and large peacefully.

Patna, May 20, 2024: Apart from a few isolated incidents, the fifth phase of polling in Bihar concluded largely peacefully on Monday.

Voting took place across five Lok Sabha constituencies—Sitamarhi, Muzaffarpur, Madhubani, Saran, and Hajipur—from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

According to Bihar Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) H.R. Srinivasa, the polling process was smooth overall, and any disputes or complaints were promptly resolved.

“As soon as complaints reached the poll body, the matters were investigated and settled immediately,” he said.

However, minor disturbances were reported in Saran, Sitamarhi, and Madhubani constituencies.

BJP candidate complains about polling irregularities in Saran:

In Saran, BJP candidate Rajiv Pratap Rudy alleged booth capturing by RJD supporters in Amnaur block, while a clash between party supporters was reported in Revelganj block.

In Madhubani, two individuals were detained for suspicious activities near a polling centre.

A total of 80 candidates, including 74 men and 6 women, were in the fray for these five constituencies.

The combined electorate stood at 95,11, 186, comprising 49,99,625 male, 45,11,259 female, and 300 third-gender voters.

The overall voter turnout stood at 55.85%, slightly lower than the 57.07% recorded in 2019, marking a dip of 1.22%.

Muzaffarpur recorded the highest voting in the fifth phase:

Muzaffarpur recorded the highest turnout at 58.10% (down from 61.00% in 2019), followed by Sitamarhi at 57.55% (59.08% in 2019), Hajipur at 56.84% (Up from 55.22%), Saran at 54.50% ((56.48% in 2019), and Madhubani, which saw the lowest turnout at 52.20% (53.72% in 2019).

Voting was conducted across 9,436 polling booths set up at 5,419 polling stations.

Srinivasa said that 11,486 control units, 13562 ballot units, and 12,573 VVPAT machines were used during the polling process.

The CEO further informed that the Commission received 115 complaints, all of which were addressed promptly. However, voters in two polling stations—one in Gaighat and the other in Aurai in Muzaffarpur district boycotted voting over local issues.

Despite minor tensions, the fifth phase in Bihar was deemed peaceful, with authorities ensuring strict monitoring and swift action in response to complaints.

Also Read: 48.23% polling registered in the first phase of LS election in Bihar.

EOM.