New Delhi [India], November 6 : Bihar recorded the highest ever voter turnout of 64.66 per cent in the first phase of assembly elections on Thursday, with the voting on 121 seats concluding peacefully.
A total of 3.75 crore voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in the first phase polls and the polling covered 18 districts of the state.
"The first phase of the Bihar Legislative Assembly elections concluded peacefully in a festive mood today with the highest ever voter turnout of 64.66% in the history of Bihar," Election Commission said in press release.
The poll panel said that the voter turnout figures are as of 8.15 pm today. With 1,570 Presiding Officers yet to update the figures on ECINet, the polling percentage could go further up.
The release said the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar along with ECs Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr Vivek Joshi kept a close watch on the polling through live-webcasting which has been ensured in 100 per cent of the polling stations for the first time in Bihar.
"CEC Gyanesh Kumar personally engaged with the Presiding Officers and DEOs from the Control Room in ECI to ensure that the polling progressed smoothly," the release said.
In another first in Bihar, as part of the International Election Visitors' Programme (IEVP), 16 delegates from six countries - South Africa, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Belgium and Colombia - witnessed the poll proceedings.
"The delegates commended the Bihar elections for being internationally, one of the most well-organised, transparent, efficient and participative elections," the release said.
It said over four lakh polling-related staff reached the respective polling stations by 11.20 pm last night. Mock polls were completed before 7 am today in the presence of over 67,902 polling agents appointed by 1,314 contesting candidates and polling began peacefully at all 45,341 polling stations simultaneously.
"Over 90,000 Jeevika Didis/ female volunteers along with one CAPF personnel were deployed across all polling Stations for the identification of Purdahnasheen women," the release said.
Presiding Officers updated the Voter Turnout figures at the close of poll before leaving the polling station as per ECI's latest instructions "resulting in minimal delay in updation of approximate voter turnout trends".
The release said that as part of a number of new voter-friendly initiatives, voters were very happy to see the coloured photos of candidates on EVM ballot papers.
Other new initiatives included Mobile deposit facility at the Polling Stations, newly designed Voter Information Slips (VIS) for easy readability and upto 1,200 voters per polling station to reduce crowding.
All polling stations were provided with Wheelchairs and tagging of volunteers to assist PwD voters. E-Rickshaw facility was also provided to assist PwD voters in reaching their polling stations.
Before Thursday's polling, the highest poll turnout recorded in Bihar was 62.57 per cent in 2000.