Bihar polls LIVE: 53.51% voter turnout recorded in second phase, says EC

Bihar Assembly election 2020 LIVE updates: The figure was likely to go up as voting continued beyond schedule in several places

Bihar Assembly election 2020 Voting Phase-2  Live Updates: The 94 assembly constituencies that went to poll in the phase two of Bihar elections on Tuesday recorded 53.51 per cent turnout and the figure was likely to go up as voting continued beyond schedule in several places, according to Election Commission.

Tejashwi Yadav, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and chief ministerial face of grand alliance, is contesting from the Raghopur constituency, whereas his elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav is fighting from Hasanpur. In Bankipur, Plurals Party chief Pushpam Priya Choudhary and Shatrughan Sinha's son Luv Sinha will take on BJP's three-time MLA Nitin Nabin.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday slammed the opposition parties saying they only learnt to "divide" society and win irrespective of anything else. He said while the NDA government ensured fulfilment of all basic facilities in Bihar during its last tenure, it will now fulfil all "aspirations" of the people if elected to power.

Stay tuned for latest updates on Bihar election 2020
 

9:37 PM

JD(U) submits memorandum to EC demanding registration of FIR, cancellation of nominations of Tejashwi Yadav, his brother Tej Pratap Yadav for allegedly concealing information about some properties in their election affidavits.

7:56 PM

53.51% turnout in Phase 2 assembly polls in Bihar, figure likely to go up: EC

The 94 assembly constituencies that went to poll in the phase two of Bihar elections on Tuesday recorded 53.51 per cent turnout and the figure was likely to go up as voting continued beyond schedule in several places, the Election Commission said. The combined voter turnout in the two phases was recorded at 53.79 per cent till 5 PM, the Commission said.

 

In the corresponding constituencies which went to poll in the 2015 assembly polls, the turnout was 55.35 per cent, the EC said. The 94 constituencies of Bihar assembly went to poll in the second phase of elections which will decide the electoral fate of RJD leader and Mahagathbandhan's chief ministerial face Tejashwi Yadav and more than 1,450 other candidates.

 

Polling began at 7 am, but the time for its conclusion has been extended by one hour till 6 pm to facilitate COVID-19 patients and those with symptoms of the disease to exercise their franchise during the final hour. The process, however, concluded early in the Maoist-hit areas.

7:16 PM

Bihar elections LIVE: Communist Party writes to EC, alleges poll code violation by PM Modi

Communist Party of India MP Binoy Viswam has written to the Election Commission alleging violation of the Model Code of Conduct by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the run up to the Bihar Assembly polls. Referring to news reports, Viswam claimed that the Prime Minister's Office, in a newsletter sent via its official PR email, solicited funds for the work of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

 

In its newsletter on October 21, the PMO has made an advertisement stating "support those who put India first. Support BJP through micro-donations". On clicking on the link one is redirected to another page that solicits funds ranging from Rs 5 to Rs 1000 for the BJP, Viswam alleged.

 

"While such misuse of power and position is condemnable at all times, it becomes particularly egregious given that the poll code came into effect for the Bihar elections on September 25. Chapter 7 of the Model Code of Conduct on 'Party in Power' clearly states that the Government machinery and offices shall not be used for furtherance of the interest of the party in power.

7:00 PM

Polling percentage at 53.51% as of now in second phase of Bihar Polls: Election Commission

6:44 PM

Onions pelted during Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's election rally in Bihar's Harlakhi

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday was attacked with onions when he was talking about jobs at a rally in Madhubani district. Nitish was addressing the rally for the third phase of the elections as polling for the second phase was going on today.

 

"Keep throwing. You all can understand. This will not have any impact," he said in the rally.

 

However, after this incident, security personnel became alert and formed a security cordon. The Chief Minister completed his speech in the election meeting. When the security personnel started catching the stone thrower, Kumar told them to leave those people and they would understand it themselves after a few days.

6:34 PM

Bihar Polls LIVE: There is no contest anywhere, we are winning: Union Minister and BJP leader R K Singh after casting vote

6:04 PM

Assembly polls 2020 LIVE: Bihar records over 51 per cent polling till 5 pm

Over 51 per cent of the total 2.85 crore electors in 94 constituencies of Bihar exercised their franchise till 5 pm in the second phase of voting on Tuesday, according to Election Commission data. Among the 17 districts where these 94 seats are located, the highest poll percentage of 54.89 has been recorded in Muzaffarpur, according to the Election Commission's Voter Turnout App, updated till 5 pm.

 

The lowest turnout of 39.65 per cent has been reported from Patna district. Its Kumhrar, an urban constituency, has recorded just 27.91 per cent voting.

 

The estimated overall turnout at 5 pm is 51.68 per cent (provisional), the poll panel data said. The turnout during the corresponding hours in the first phase on October 28 was 51.91 per cent. Vaishali district's Raghopur, from where RJD leader and chief ministerial candidate of the opposition Grand Alliance Tejashwi Yadav is contesting, has recorded 54 per cent polling, according to a PTI report.

5:49 PM

People of Bihar have made up their minds for change: Rahul Gandhi

Even as polling is underway for 94 seats in the second phase of assembly elections, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi arrived in Bihar for campaigning on Tuesday and targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Nitish Kumar, saying the two had together looted Bihar, which is why the people of the state had made up their minds on ushering in change.

 

Addressing an election meeting at Kodha in Katihar, Gandhi said that lakhs of labourers were returning home on foot, hungry and thirsty, but PM Modi did not help them during the Coronavirus crisis. "His government was in power but the labourers were left stranded."

 

Gandhi claimed the Congress party had helped migrant labourers as much as possible. "The same people are now coming to the people to seek votes," he added.

 

Gandhi alleged that Prime Minister Modi and CM Nitish Kumar together had looted Bihar. "People have realised it and made up their mind on change. The government of the Grand Alliance, which will be formed, won't be the government of any particular caste, religion or class. It will be the government for the entire Bihar, a government of the poor and of labourers."

5:20 PM

Bihar sees voter turnout of 44.51% till 3 pm in second phase of Assembly elections

The Election Commission said on Tuesday that overall 44.51 per cent polling was recorded till 3 pm in all the 94 Bihar Assembly segments where voting is going on in the second phase of state elections. Maximum polling percentage of 51.38 was registered at Muzaffarpur, followed by Khagaria (50.05 per cent) and Sheohar (49.50 per cent).

 

West Champaran recorded a poll percentage of 47 per cent, Begusarai 47.97 per cent, Gopalganj 46.16 per cent, Vaishali 45.38 per cent, Samastipur 45.38 per cent, Bhagalpur 44.98 per cent, Nalanda 45.46 per cent, East Champaran 42.94 per cent, Sitamarhi 42.81 per cent, Madhubani 43.25 per cent, Darbhanga 42.99 per cent, Siwan 42.49 per cent, Saran 41.38 per cent, and Patna 39.65 per cent till last reports came in.

 

Voting was affected for nearly two hours till 2 pm after a group of voters broke an EVM in Kotraha locality in Bettiah town in the Nautan Assembly constituency. The incident was triggered during distribution of polling slips at counters outside the polling booth.

5:18 PM

Women in queue at a polling station to vote for second phase of Bihar Assembly election

4:47 PM

You voted for Nitish ji and Modi ji. Now is the time to rectify the mistake: Rahul Gandhi in Biahr's Katihar

4:46 PM

Onions pelted during Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's election rally in Bihar's Harlakhi

4:36 PM

Youths know Modi, Nitish looted Bihar: Rahul Gandhi at election rally

Hitting out at PM Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged they have "looted" Bihar, and claimed that people have decided to vote them out of power. Addressing a poll rally, the former Congress president criticised the NDA government over demonetisation, migrant crisis, GST, handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the three new farm laws.

 

He said neither Modi nor Kumar did anything to help migrant labourers when they were walking thousands of kilometres to return homes during the coronavirus lockdown.

 

"The Congress had arranged buses for the movement of migrant workers. We are not in power so we could not do it for millions, but we helped as many people as we could," he said. "I want to ask all the youth who are here that Modi ji had said he will give two crore jobs every year, Nitish ji said the same, but where are the jobs? Why are the youth unemployed today?" he said.

Gandhi also claimed the PM and the Bihar CM have failed to fulfil promises on development and job creation.

 

4:16 PM

Stones pelted during Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's election rally in Bihar's Harlakhi

4:11 PM

Bihar sees voter turnout of 44.51% till 3 pm in second phase of Assembly elections

Bihar recorded a voter turnout of 44.07 per cent till 3 pm in the second phase of state Assembly elections on Tuesday, according to the Election Commission of India. Polling began at 7 am on 94 assembly seats across 17 districts in the second phase of Bihar polls on Tuesday with precautionary measures against COVID-19 in place. Voters were also provided certificates by officials at the polling booth for participating in the democratic exercise.

 

"Voters participating in voting were honoured by giving certificates - District Patna," Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Bihar tweeted.

 

Bihar saw a final voter turnout of 55.69 per cent in the first phase of assembly polls with the poll percentage better compared to that in 2015.

 

Over 2.86 crore voters are eligible to cast their vote in the second phase which is also the largest of three phases of assembly poll in the state.There are 1,464 candidates in the fray including 46 from BJP, 43 from Janata Dal (United), 56 from Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and 24 from Congress.recoveries exceed active cases by 70 lakh