Over 53 per cent voter turnout has been recorded till 6 PM in the first phase of Bihar assembly polls on Wednesday, the Election Commission said in its provisional data.
A total of 71 assembly segments of the state's 243 constituencies are voting in the first phase in which nearly 2.15 crore voters will decide the electoral fate of over 1,000 candidates.
Nitish Kumar's challenger is RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, whose promise of 10 lakh jobs has proved to be a huge draw in the backdrop of the lockdown and widespread unemployment. The third factor in this election is Chirag Paswan, the son of the late Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan, whose rebellion against Nitish Kumar is believed by many to be backed by the BJP.
Polling began in seventy-one assembly constituencies of Bihar in the first phase of three-phase elections amid tight security and COVID-19 guidelines in place. Guidelines have been issued by the Commission for the safe conduct of the electoral exercise in the midst of the raging COVID-19 pandemic. A voter turnout of 18.3 per cent was recorded till 11:30 am.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asked people in Bihar to go out in large numbers and vote in the first phase of the election to the state assembly, asking voters to maintain coronavirus safety guidelines and wear a mask as they step out to vote. The Bihar election, the first assembly election since the coronavirus outbreak, is being held in the shadow of the pandemic.
More than two crores voters in Bihar will decide the fate of 1,066 candidates today across 71 assembly segments in the first phase of elections.
The second and third phase of the elections in the state will be held on November 3 and 7. The counting of votes will be held on November 10.
Here are the Highlights on Bihar Election 2020 Phase 1 Voting:
Bihar Election Amid Pandemic Leap Of Faith: Poll Body Chief Sunil AroraChief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora on Wednesday said the Election Commission was "discouraged" from holding the Bihar Assembly polls amid the coronavirus pandemic, but the poll panel was of the view that carrying out the electoral exercise was a "leap of faith and not a leap in the dark".
Over 53 per cent voter turnout has been recorded till 6 PM in the first phase of Bihar assembly polls.
Over 46 per cent voter turnout has been recorded till 3 PM in the first phase of Bihar assembly polls.
#BiharElections2020 | Voter turnout till 3 PM
- NDTV (@ndtv) October 28, 2020
Live updates: https://t.co/5Hmcq8ACQd#ElectionsWithNDTV pic.twitter.com/RAcRTahukY
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) files complaint to Election Commission (EC) against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his tweet posted today asking for votes in the first phase of #BiharElections from voters today. pic.twitter.com/5XUg8NHAFG
- ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2020
मोदीमय हुआ बिहार।#BiharWithNDA pic.twitter.com/P1TlzWgLVv
- BJP (@BJP4India) October 28, 2020
Congress gave direction to the country. We gave MNREGA, waived off farmers' loans. We know how to run the country, stand with farmers and generate employment, but yes, we do lack one thing - we don't know how to lie. We cannot compete with him (PM) at lying: Rahul Gandhi https://t.co/AAgU2Jf71V
- ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2020
Bihar: Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) jawans helping differently-abled & aged voters to reach polling booths in the Nawada district of Bihar during the first phase of polling for 71 seats. pic.twitter.com/BiFE3iDkBg
- ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2020
Over 33.1 per cent voter turnout has been recorded till 1 PM in the first phase of Bihar assembly polls.
एक तरफ NDA है, आत्मनिर्भर बिहार बनाने का संकल्प लेकर खड़ा है।
- BJP (@BJP4India) October 28, 2020
दूसरी तरफ ये लोग हैं जो बिहार की विकास परियोजनाओं के पैसों पर नजरें गड़ाए हुए हैं: पीएम @narendramodi #BiharWithNDA
प्रधानमंत्री आज बिहार की पावन धरती पर आएं है।
- Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) October 28, 2020
प्रधानमंत्री जी #मुंगेरनरसंहार पर आप नीतीश कुमार और सुशील मोदी की सरकार को बर्खास्त करें, नही तो ये माना जायेगा कि मुंगेर में जो बर्बरता हुई है उसमें आपकी सहमति है।
शायद इसीलिए आप भाषण में #मुंगेर का नाम ही ग़ायब कर गए। pic.twitter.com/WPw76XIDev
Bihar: Voting underway in Sasaram for the first phase of Bihar Assembly elections.
- ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2020
Visuals of voters undergoing temperature check & hand-sanitisation in a polling booth decorated with balloons pic.twitter.com/BMMNL7n0XU
Bihar: Voters of Balgudar village in Lakhisarai district boycott elections, booth number 115 wears a deserted look.
- ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2020
"Villagers are not voting as they're protesting against the construction of a museum on a playground," says Booth No. 115 Presiding Officer Mohammad Ikramul Haq pic.twitter.com/QpDaejRzZV
ध्यान रहे,
- Rashtriya Janata Dal (@RJDforIndia) October 28, 2020
वोट करें बदलाव के लिए!
सुधार के लिए!
रोजगार के लिए!
स्वावलंबन के लिए!
विकास के लिए!
बिना बदलाव किए क्रांति नहीं आएगी!
यथास्थिति बनाए रखने पर वही पुरानी बेरोजगारी, लाचारी, पलायन, गरीबी और अनदेखी की समस्याएँ बनीं रहेंगी!
चाहिए सुधार तो बदलिए सरकार! pic.twitter.com/hFafR0Z21j
Vote for Jobs and Employment!#VoteForTejashwi#मुंगेर_नरसंहार
- Rashtriya Janata Dal (@RJDforIndia) October 28, 2020
अहंकारी और नाकाबिल सरकार की जड़ें हिला देने वाले सर्वप्रिय जननेता @yadavtejashwi जी की आज होने वाली जनसभाएँ- pic.twitter.com/1pAsbmWXhs
#BiharElections2020 | Constituencies and key candidates in phase 1.
- NDTV (@ndtv) October 28, 2020
Watch live: https://t.co/XvwYXdiDJL #ElectionsWithNDTV pic.twitter.com/e2QNxg6Vgd
#WATCH: Bihar Minister Prem Kumar rides a cycle on his way to the polling booth to cast his vote, in Gaya. #BiharAssemblyElection2020 pic.twitter.com/9tR2AiZZz4
- ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2020
#WATCH: Voters queue up at polling booth number 219 in Aurangabad; polling for the first phase of #BiharElections is underway. pic.twitter.com/CXNoFh3p8v
- ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2020
Bihar: 1st phase polling of assembly elections underway. Visuals from Booth number 56 & 57 in Munger
- ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2020
"We've made comprehensive arrangements for polling at all booths. We've increased number of booths & they've maximum 1000 voters to avoid crowding," says Munger DM Rajesh Meena pic.twitter.com/rkYxI6gL34
बिहार विधानसभा चुनावों के लिए आज पहले चरण का मतदान हो रहा है।
- Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) October 28, 2020
आप का मत ही लोकतंत्र में आपकी सबसे सबसे बड़ी ताक़त है। मेरा सभी मतदाताओं से अनुरोध है कि कोविड सम्बन्धी सावधानियों का ध्यान रखते हुए लोकतंत्र के इस महापर्व में जरूर हिस्सा लें।
पहले मतदान, फिर जलपान!
बिहार विधानसभा चुनावों में आज पहले दौर की वोटिंग है।
- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 28, 2020
सभी मतदाताओं से मेरा आग्रह है कि वे कोविड संबंधी सावधानियों को बरतते हुए, लोकतंत्र के इस पर्व में अपनी हिस्सेदारी सुनिश्चित करें।
दो गज की दूरी का रखें ध्यान, मास्क जरूर पहनें।
याद रखें, पहले मतदान, फिर जलपान!
Gentleman at #BiharElections2020 polling booth in Sasaram turned up without a mask . When a cop asked him why , he claimed it was in his pocket and must have fallen down on the road . A mini argument happens - finally cops handed him a mask ... pic.twitter.com/s8BWXy1gPe
- Alok Pandey (@alok_pandey) October 28, 2020
#WATCH | Bihar: Sanitization underway at polling booth number 56 and 57 in Munger; people queue up at the polling booth while maintaining social distancing.
- ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2020
Polling for the first phase of #BiharElections is underway. pic.twitter.com/6htG2XLUcZ
Bihar: Union Minister Giriraj Singh visited a temple in Barahiya, Lakhisarai.
- ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2020
He says," Election is the biggest festival of democracy. I appeal to everyone to exercise their right to vote." #BiharPolls pic.twitter.com/Xs73MjuBTZ
आज प्रथम चरण के मतदान के दिन बिहारवासियों के बेहतर भविष्य, शिक्षा, स्वास्थ्य, नौकरी, विकास और नए दौर में नए बिहार के निर्माण के लिए अपने मताधिकार का प्रयोग अवश्य करे और महागठबंधन के साथ बदलाव के सहभागी बने।
- Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) October 28, 2020
जय हिंद। जय बिहार।
Voting for the first phase of Bihar Elections underway; visuals from a polling station in Gaya.
Preparations underway at a polling station in Munger as the voting for the first phase of #BiharElections to begin shortly. pic.twitter.com/lzlIWQFf0H
- ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2020
Voting for the first phase of the #BiharElections2020 will begin shortly. I appeal to people of the State to exercise their right to vote: Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav pic.twitter.com/ocFvv0YptL
- ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2020
Voting for the first phase of #BiharElections to begin today; visuals from polling stations in Lakhisarai (pic 1 & 2) and Gaya (pic 3 & 4) pic.twitter.com/jpp8RNnhX5
- ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2020
