Bihar polls: 9% turnout in first two hours; Lalu, Modi cast their vote

Patna: Around nine percent turnout was recorded in the first two hours of polling in 50 Assembly constituencies of six districts of Bihar on Wednesday.

"Around 9.12 percent turnout has been reported from 50 Assembly constituencies in the third phase. Polling is peaceful in the state as we have not received information of any untoward information so far," Additional Chief Electoral Officer (ACEO) R Lakshmanan told PTI.

Polling is currently underway in six districts of Saran, Vaishali, Nalanda, Patna, Bhojpur and Buxar in the third phase.

As per hourly EC bulletin, Saran recorded 10.29 percent turnout, Vaishali recorded 13.32 percent, Nalanda 8.80 percent, Patna 7.41 percent, Bhojpur 6.61 percent and Buxar 9.41 percent.

While Vaishali district recorded a maximum turnout of 13.32 percent, Bhojpur recorded the lowest turnout of 6.61 percent till 9 AM.

However, there were reports of EVM malfunctioning at few places in the Assembly constituencies of Digha, Masaurhi, Mahnar, Buxar where polling began nearly an hour later.

Prominent political personalities who cast their vote in the first two hours of voting included Governor Ram Nath Kovind and his wife Savita Kovind, RJD chief Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi and son Tejaswi Yadav, former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi and others.

After casting his vote at polling station number 305 at Government Girls Middle School in the Raj Bhawan premises, the Governor said, "Election is the mega festival of democracy and everyone should exercise his/her franchise."

Talking to reporters after exercising his franchise, Lalu Prasad claimed that the grand secular alliance (comprising JD(U), RJD & Congress) will sweep the polls in all the phases of polling.

Prasad and his wife cast their franchise at polling station number 150 of Digha assembly constituency of Patna.

Tejaswi Yadav, who is contesting from Raghopur, also appealed to youths to vote for development and expressed hope that his alliance would win.