Lower voting turnout is a matter of concern for political parties and the election commission in Bihar.
Lower voting turnout is a matter of concern for political parties and the election commission in Bihar.
Patna April 28: Sluggish voters turnout is a matter of concern for every political party and election commission in Bihar in the first two phases of the Lok Sabha election.
That is why political parties are busy finalizing the rallies for their star campaigners for the third phase of the election.
The third phase of the election will be held at Bihar’s Jhanjharpur, Supaul, Araria, Madhepura and Khagaria Lok Sabha constituencies on May 7.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar appealed to the voters to reach polling centers to take part in the electoral process. He will stay in Madhepura for the next three days and will do rallies and road shows there. Besides, he will address two rallies in the other four constituencies where elections will be held in the third phase on May 7.
Since the election campaign started in Bihar, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and VIP chief Mukesh Sahani have been addressing 4 to 5 rallies every day and they have the same programme in these five constituencies in the third phase as well.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will address two rallies in Jhanjharpur and Begusarai on April 29. The polling in Begusarai will take place in the fourth phase.
After the low turnout of voters in the first two phases, HR Srinivasa, the chief electoral officer of Bihar has instructed DMs and SPs to take additional initiatives so that voters can come to the polling centers.
“At many places, we have seen people boycotting the elections. The officers have been asked to resolve the issues if any they have in regions. Keeping in view of the hot weather, we have also asked them to make adequate arrangements at the polling stations,” Srinivasa said.
In the first phase, the polling percentage was 48.23% which was more than five per cent lower compared to 2019 when the election commission had registered 53.47%.
The election commission registered 58.58% voting in the second phase which was four percent lower compared to the 2019 Lok Sabha election when a 62.92% polling percentage was registered.
In the third phase, three candidates of JD-U, one candidate from LJPR and one candidate from BJP are in the fray on those five seats. In Jhanjharpur, JD-U candidate Rampreet Mandal will contest against Suman Kumar Mahaseth of VIP. Dilleshwar Kamat of JD-U will contest against Chandrahas Chaupal of RJD in Supaul. Dinesh Chandra Yadav of JD-U will contest against Kumar Chandradeep of RJD in the Madhepura Lok Sabha seat.
In Araria, Pradeep Singh of BJP is contesting against Shahnawaz Alam of RJD and Rajesh Verma of LJPR is contesting against Sanjay Kumar of CPI in Khagaria.
EOM.