Voters wait in queue to cast their vote during second phase of Bihar elections at Gaya on Friday. (Press Trust of India)
till noon in 32 constituencies spread over six Naxal-hit districts of Bihar where a cane bomb was found near a polling booth in Aurangabad district.
While Gaya recorded a maximum turnout of 42.97 per cent, Jehanabad recorded the lowest turnout of 33.83 per cent till noon, an Election Commission bulletin said.
A middle aged voter and a CRPF personnel died of heart attack in polling booths in Rafiganj and Imamganj Assembly constituencies. (
Pics)
A cane bomb was found by the security personnel near polling station number 144 located in Balar village of Kasma police station area that falls in Rafiganj Assembly constituency of Aurangabad district, Kasma police station SHO Sujit Kumar.
Meanwhile,
Jitan Ram Manjhi, who is contesting from Imamganj constituency against JD(U) Assembly Speaker Uday Narayan Choudhary, alleged that names of many scheduled castes voters have been removed from the voters' list.
In the remaining four districts, where polling is underway, Kaimur recorded 37.72 per cent turnout, Rohtas recorded 35.32 per cent, Arwal 36.94 per cent and Aurangabad 35.07 per cent.
Gaya District Magistrate Sanjay Agarwal told PTI that "polling is brisk in the district (Gaya) as we have recorded more than 50 per cent of polling from several booths till 11 am, itself."
Women and elderly citizens were seen standing in queues in large numbers outside polling booths in all the
32 seats.
A 95-year-old woman was spotted being carried by her son on his back to a polling booth in Sasaram.
Burqua clad women were seen standing outside booths in Gaya and Aurangabad reflecting enthusiasm among women voters in this round of polling too.
Security forces are keeping a strict vigil to prevent untoward incidents during electioneering.
In separate incidents, 45-year-old voter Yudagir Yadav died of heart attack while standing in queque at booth number 245 in Rafiganj Assembly constituency, Aurangabad Sub Divisional Magistrate Surendra Prasad said.
In another incident, a CRPF jawan Harendra Singh Gurjar died of heart attack while manning a polling station at Baseta village of Imamganj Assembly constituency of Gaya district, CRPF Commandant Birendra Verma said.
The jawan belonged to 169th battalion of CRPF and was a resident of Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, he added.
A total of 993 companies of Central Para Military and state police companies (each comprising 100 personnel) are deployed to conduct free and fair elections.
A total of 86,13,870 electors would decide fate of
456 candidates, 32 of them women, in 9119 booths today.