Patna: The fate of 583 candidates was locked in the voting machines on Monday as Bihar went through first phase of Assembly polls for 49 seats.
State election commission said 57 percent voters exercised their franchise.
According to EC, 2015 assembly election broke previous records as 59.5 per cent women voters and 54.5 men voters came out to vote under heavy security deployment.
“With 57 per cent turnout voters broke previous records and this year we are happy to say turnout of women voters were higher than male voters”, EC said.
Reports trickling from interiors indicates massive turnout of enthusiastic first time voters which added festive color to democratic exercise.
The youth everywhere said “we have voted for change and development. We want good educational institutions and industries so that employment becomes easy for us”.
However there were reports of poll boycott on nine booths, sources said “there was anger among people as no development took place in these areas”. Not a single voter turned up to vote on few booths till the end even after much persuasion.
The first phase is crucial for both NDA and Grand Secular Alliance as in 2010 JD(U) which had contested in alliance with the BJP had won 29 seats where polling was held on Monday is considered JD(U) stronghold.
