An estimated 62.8 per cent votes were polled on Monday in the seventh phase of the ongoing panchayat polls in Bihar that passed off peacefully by and large, State election commissioner J.K. Dutta said Kishanganj and Katihar districts registered the highest turn out of the voters at 75 per cent, Nawada district had the lowest vote percentage at 54.
The police fired five rounds in the air in self-defence at polling booth number 110 in Garba panchayat in Aurangabad district after a group of miscreants tried to capture the booth by attacking the security personnel. None was injured in the incident and a miscreant was arrested from the spot, he said.
The police arrested 970 persons, seized 161 vehicles, a cash of Rs. 80,220, 30 mobile phones and 180 litres liquor from across the state as under preventive measures to ensure a free and fair panchayat polls, he told newsmen here.
Among those arrested in connection with poll-related offences were three mukhiya candidates from Nawada, Saran and Gaya districts and a cash of about Rs 21,000, three mobile phones and 24 fake EPIC cards were seized from their possession, Mr. Dutta said.
A presiding officer Randhir Chaudhary was arrested from a booth in Nalanda district on charges of dereliction of duty, while a zila parishad candidate was arrested in Saran district for electoral malpractice, Mr. Dutta said.
Polling at a booth number in Rohtas district was shifted to another place after a fire broke out due to short circuit in a power grid sub-station.
The seventh phase of panchayat polls were held for 28,055 panchayat posts in 62 blocks, 12 of them naxal-affected, in 37 districts of the State.
The eighth phase of panchayat polls will take place on May 12.
