Bihar panchayat polls: Voters defy Maoist boycott call, voting peaceful

Defying a poll boycott call given by Maoists, voters in Bihar today exercised their franchise in 37 districts figuring in the fifth phase of panchayat elections in the State.

The polling was by and large peaceful, Director General of Police Neelmani told reporters here.

He said 854 persons, including three mukhiya and one zila parishad candidates, besides two presiding officers were arrested from different places.

Ultras, who have given a call for boycotting the elections, exploded a landmine in which three policemen were injured in Muzaffarpur district yesterday.

Election authorities set up 11,604 polling stations of which eight are located in Maoist-hit areas.

Police seized unaccounted money to the tune of Rs two lakhs from different persons during the polling process.

226 vehicles were seized from different places while a gun and two cartridges were recovered in Bhojpur district, he said.

As many as 85,403 candidates are in the fray in 51 blocks to elect their representatives in a total of 25,980 panchayats, Zila Parishads and Gram Kutcheries.