Final turnout in first phase of Bihar polls 65.08 pc, highest in state's history: EC
Patna (PTI): The final turnout in the first phase of the Bihar assembly polls is 65.08 per cent, the highest in the state's history, the Election Commission said.
A total of 3.75 crore people were eligible to cast their votes at 45,341 polling stations, including 36,733 in rural areas, on November 6 to decide the electoral fate of 1,314 candidates, of whom 1,192 are men and 122 women.
As per the latest update provided by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Bihar, the "historic" turnout of 65.08 per cent is 7.79 per cent more than the consolidated polling percentage of the previous assembly polls held in 2020, when 57.29 per cent of the electors had cast their votes.
Of the 3.75 crore voters, 1.98 crore are men and 1.76 crore women. Women had come out in large numbers to exercise their franchise in the November 6 polls.
Two districts – Muzaffarpur and Samastipur – recorded over 70 per cent voting. While Muzaffarpur registered 71.81 per cent turnout, it was 71.74 per cent in Samastipur.
Besides, other districts that recorded a high polling percentage were Madhepura (69.59), Saharsa (69.38), Vaishali (68.50) and Khagaria (67.90).
Patna district recorded 59.02 per cent voting, while Lakhisarai registered 64.98 per cent, Munger 62.74 and Siwan 60.61.
The remaining 122 seats of the 243-member assembly will vote on November 11, while the counting will take place on November 14.
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Bomb threats to Delhi Secretariat, Assembly, Red Fort and two schools declared hoax
New Delhi (PTI): Multiple institutions, including the Delhi Secretariat, Delhi Assembly, Red Fort and two schools in the national capital, received bomb threats via email on Monday, which were later declared hoax, officials said.
An official of the Delhi Fire Services confirmed that Delhi Secretariat, Delhi Army Public School in Dhaula Kuan and Air Force Bal Bharti School on Lodhi Road received bomb threats.
The threat emails were also received on the official ID of the Delhi Assembly and its Speaker at 8 am, reportedly from the Khalistan National Army, sources said.
Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta asked the Delhi Police for immediate appropriate action on the bomb threat received on his personal email id.
"The Speaker, Delhi Legislative Assembly has desired that immediate necessary appropriate action be taken in the matter and an investigation be carried out to trace the source of these emails keeping in view the serious warnings about the bomb blast threats to Delhi Legislative Assembly Secretariat and Speaker in person," the Speaker office in a letter to Delhi Police Commissioner said.
The threatening emails mention “Delhi banega Khalistan” (Delhi will become Khalistan) and read that there will be blasts in Delhi Army School, Red Fort and Metros in the next three days.
The emails claimed a blast at the Delhi Army school at 1.11 pm, Vidhan Sabha at 3.11 pm and Red Fort at 9.11 am today, they said.
After receiving the threatening emails, the administrations of both schools informed authorities in the morning, a senior police officer said.
As a precautionary measure, the premises were evacuated, and thorough search operations were carried out, the officer said.
"After nothing suspicious was found, it was declared a hoax," the officer added.
An Aam Aadmi Party leader and former MLA, Dilip K Pandey, in a post on X said, "Today, I received a bomb threat on my personal email ID, and since the matter was related to public safety, I have immediately forwarded the email to Delhi Police."
Upon receiving the information, teams from the Delhi Police, the bomb disposal squad, dog squad and Delhi Fire Services rushed to the spots and cordoned off the areas around the schools and other locations.
"We are verifying the source of the emails and further investigation is underway," the officer added.
The cyber cell has been roped in to trace the origin of the emails and identify the sender. Search operations are continuing.
