Bihar registers "highest-ever" 68.79 pc voter turnout in final phase of assembly polls: CEO
Patna (PTI): A record voter turnout of 68.79 per cent was registered provisionally at close of polling in 122 seats in the second and final phase of assembly elections in Bihar on Tuesday, Chief Electoral Officer Vinod Singh Gunjiyal said.
In the first phase of voting on November 6, 65.08 per cent of the electorate had exercised their franchise.
“Total voter turnout of both phases is 66.90 per cent (provisional), which is 9.6 per cent more than the last assembly polls,” Gunjiyal said.
The high-stakes assembly elections is seen as a veritable referendum on the state’s longest-serving Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
The turnout percentage will further increase as the Election Commission has not compiled the data of 2,000 polling booths, out of a total of 45,399 booths, the CEO said.
“After the deadline for voting ended, around 68.79 per cent turnout was recorded. But, this figure is provisional,” Gunjiyal said.
Polling for the last phase passed off largely peacefully, he said.
A total of 3.70 crore voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in this phase, to decide the electoral fate of 1,302 candidates, he said.
Voting took place across 45,399 polling stations, of which 40,073 were in rural areas.
As per the latest figures, districts where the voter turnout was more than 70 per cent include Katihar (78.39), Kishanganj (77.91), Purnea (75.87) and Paschim Champaran (70.75). Besides, Jamui recorded 69.63 per cent, Araria (69.54) and Gaya (68.63).
"A total of 143 complaints were received and immediately resolved," the CEO said.
The counting will take place on November 14.
A total of 1,650 companies of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), 50 companies of Bihar Special Armed Police Force and more than 42,000 personnel of district police were deployed in all 122 assembly seats for ensuring free and fair assembly polls, he said.
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National Herald case: Shivakumar to seek time next week to appear before Delhi police
New Delhi/Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Monday said he will ask for time from Delhi police to appear before them next week, to provide required information as part of the probe into the National Herald case.
He said he will seek time after the ongoing winter session of Karnataka legislature ends on December 19. He will also ask the Delhi police to provide him the FIR copy.
Shivakumar, who is in the national capital, had earlier said that he will appear before the Delhi police on Monday. But, he postponed the plan in order to rush back to Karnataka to participate in the last rites of veteran Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa, scheduled later in the day in Davangere.
"I had to go (to appear before the Delhi police), but I have to go back urgently. I'm asking them for time, stating that I will come next week," Shivakumar told reporters in New Delhi.
"They (Delhi police) have not attached the FIR copy while issuing notice to me. I need FIR copy, because we had already given all the required replies to the ED. I don't know what the FIR says, I only read in papers. They have given notice, I will ask for a FIR copy. I will come next week after the Assembly session."
The Delhi Police had issued a notice to Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Congress chief, seeking financial and transactional details as part of its probe into the National Herald case.
The notice issued by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) states that Shivakumar is "supposed to be having vital information" pertaining to the National Herald case registered on October 3 this year, against top Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
In the notice dated November 29, the EOW had asked Shivakumar to appear before it or provide the requested information by December 19 latest.
Investigators have sought details about his personal background, his association with the Congress party, and a complete break up of funds allegedly transferred by him or associated entities to Young Indian.
To a question on meeting AICC General Secretaries K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala, amid the ongoing power tussle between him and CM Siddaramaiah over the Chief Minister post, Shivakumar said when he comes to Delhi, he usually meets every one.
"Whether it is Surjewala or Kharge (AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge) or Venugopal, I will meet everyone. During lunch yesterday I met Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. I have met everyone. What's wrong?" he asked.
Shivakumar was in Delhi to take part in Congress' "Vote Chori" rally on Sunday, and had also participated in the lunch organised by the party for its leaders.
Responding to a question, whether any meeting is planned with leaders today, the Deputy CM said, he and Kharge will be travelling together to Karnataka, to pay last respects to Shamanuru Shivashankarappa.
Asked if he will seek time for a separate meeting with Congress leadership including Rahul Gandhi, during the next visit to Delhi, Sivakumar said, "such things will be there between us in the party.... you don't worry."
