The crucial Bihar battle ended with fifth and final round on Thursday when voters exercised their franchise for 57 seats across nine districts of the Seemanchal-Kosi-Mithilanchal region. With the area largely dominated by Muslim and Yadav vote-banks, this round of poll appears to be tilted towards the grand alliance than the BJP-led NDA.
Of the 57 seats that went to polls on Thursday, the JD(U) has put up candidates in 25 seats, the RJD 21 while the Congress has fielded 11 candidates. In NDA camp, the BJP has put up 38 candidates while it allies LJP, RLSP and HAM(S) have fielded 11, 5 and 3 candidates respectively. > More..
With the fifth and final phase of polling in 57 seats across nine districts having ended on Thursday, registering a 60 per cent voter turnout — highest in all phases of poll — the Bihar election appeared to be a tough contest between the BJP-led NDA and Nitish-Lalu led Grand Alliance.
The average percentage of vote in all five phases has been 56.8, four per cent more than that in the 2010 Assembly poll. The counting will be held on Sunday. “We are gong to get around 190 seats, no fewer than that,” said RJD chief Lalu Prasad, whereas his alliance partner and JD(U) leader Ali Anwar declared that the grand alliance would get over 200 seats. Their third ally in the coalition, the Congress, put the figure between 150 and 170.
“The BJP alone will win over 120 seats and the NDA will get over 170 seats,” said Union Minister Radha Mohan Singh.
Live updates:
6: 56 pm: Overall turnout in in Bihar was 56.8 per cent, highest in any election in the State so far be it Lok Sabha or Assembly: EC
6:46 pm: Exit polls predict a close fight with majority of them giving an edge to the grand alliance of JD(U)-RJD-Congress over the BJP-led NDA.
Exit poll | JD(U)+ | NDA |
Today's Chanakya | 83±9 | 155±11 |
C-Voter | 122 | 111 |
News X | 130-140 | 100 |
India Today-Cicero | 113-127 | 111-123 |
India TV | 112-132 | 101-121 |
News Nation | 120-124 | 115-119 |
ABP-Nielsen | 130 | 108 |
5: 00 pm: 59.46% polling recorded for the fifth and final phase.
4: 00 pm: 55.90 % polling recorded till 4p.m. Polls close by 5 p.m.
3: 00 pm: 51.85 per cent polling recorded till 3 p. m.
11: 50 am: 24.29 per cent polling recorded till 11 a.m.
10: 55 am: As per an EC bulletin, Madhubani recorded 10.08 per cent of voting, Supual 14.25 per cent, Araria 8.77, Kisanganj 10.62 per cent, Purnea 12.36 per cent, Katihar 9.50 per cent, Madhepura 13.48 per cent, Saharsa 7.18, and Darbhanga 14 per cent.
Supaul district recorded a maximum turnout of 14.25 per cent while Saharsa recorded the lowest turnout of 7.18 per cent till 9 a.m.
10:25 am: How women voters can tip the scales in Bihar this time
Women in Bihar have been agents of change in previous elections and have brought in significant political and policy changes in the State. Bihar is the fourth largest State in India in terms of the total number of electors (55 million). It contains 8 per cent of the total number of electors in the country. > More..
9:45 am: As the final phase of poll gets underway, here's a look at the voter turnouts in the first four phases.
9:35 am: 11.23% voting till 9 a.m.
8:57 am: 5.58% voting till 8 a.m.
8:00 am: Tight security arrangements have been put in place to ensure a free and fair poll. A total of 1,033 companies (one company has 100 personnel) of State police force and Central paramilitary force, besides 74,469 polling personnel would be deployed on all the 14,709 polling stations to ensure free and fair polling.
7:56 am: Polling restarts at booth numbers 67 and 68 in Purnia after a technical snag in EVMs had stalled voting.
7:29 am: This Pakistan to keep off polling booths
Pakistan Tola in Bihar has decided to boycott elections today. Reason: development has eluded it since Independence. The remote village, in Singhia panchayat in Purnea district of Seemanchal area, borders Bangladesh. About 35 km from Purnea town, “Pakistan” is a glaring example of under development. > More..
7:22 am: In this phase, the impact of AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi and Jan Adhikar Party leader and expelled RJD MP from Madhepura, Pappu Yadav, would be put to the test.
7:00 am: Voting begins for 57 Assembly seats in the final phase of Bihar election amid tight security arrangements.
