Bihar:Minor skirmishes mark ‘peaceful’ Patna municipal polls; turnout 46%
Barring stray incidents of scuffle between supporters of the contestants at some booths, voting to elect councillors from 75 wards of the Patna municipal corporation (PMC) passed off peacefully, with about 46% of the voters exercising their right to franchise on Sunday.
Re-poll at three booths of a ward in Munger in south eastern Bihar and polling at Barsoi nagar panchayat of Katihar in north eastern Bihar, were also conducted without any major disturbance.
About 62% of the electors cast their votes in Munger, while polling for Barsoi nagar panchayat witnessed about 71% voters’ turn out, said state election commissioner Ashok Kumar Chauhan here, after the end of voting.
In the state capital, Governor Ram Nath Kovind cast his vote at the model polling booth of ward number 9 at Government girls’ middle school near Raj Bhawan. “Voting strengthens democracy and it reflects the people’s sentiments,” he said, after casting his vote.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad, along with his former chief minister wife Rabri Devi, and health minister son Tej Prasad Yadav, also exercised his franchise at special booth of ward number 4, set up on the Bihar Veterinary college campus.
Exhorting the people to come out in large numbers and vote, Prasad said it was a polling exercise to elect people’s representatives for the local body, the lower rung democracy. “Election is of utmost importance for sustainability of democracy, be it the election for MPs, MLAs or even ward councillors,” he said.
In a reference to cricket match between India and Pakistan, Birmingham (United Kingdom), Prasad said he always favoured keeping cricket as a sport between the two nations to the exclusion of politics. “The two countries should play matches (despite border tensions),” he added.
The police had to resort to a mild lathicharge in Valmiki Nagar area in the state capital and detain several persons, who were indulging in stone pelting and blocking road during the election. Scores of agitating persons were detained by the police in Gardanibagh area, too.
Police said supporters of two contestants of ward number 10 had clashed with each other near Balmichak primary school, Gardanibagh and some of them received injuries in the incident.
SSP, Patna, Manu Maharaaj said mild lathi-charge was resorted to control the belligerent crowd. Scuffles were also reported from other localities including Shashtrinagar, Boring Road and Rajiv Nagar. The police also arrested Bittu Jaiswal, son of candidate Manoj Kumar alias Munna Jaiswal, who is contesting from ward number 67.
Four persons were arrested from ward number 44 under Patrakar Nagar police station, while two were arrested from ward 33 under Kankarbagh police station. “A total of 123 persons were either detained or arrested, even as 93 motorcycles were seized by the police in their bid to maintain order and ensure fair conduct of the polling.
