Patna, April 20: Bihar today reported the lowest violence in the recent past as 11 Lok Sabha constituencies went to polls in the Naxalite-hit regions of the state.

A homeguard jawan was killed and another went missing at Deori in Gaya after a patrol-cum-EVM collection party was attacked. “Left-wing extremists tried to disrupt polling in some of their strongholds in the state, including Jehanabad and Sasaram, but the overall impact of the boycott and bandh call given by them was insignificant,” home secretary B.K. Haldar said.

Assistant electoral officer Sadat Hasan Manto put the average voting percentage at 55, though he said a final report would be available tomorrow. “Announcements of repoll, if any, would also be made tomorrow,” he said.

Polling percentage in the Naxalite-affected areas was lower, averaging below 50. Counting of votes will be held simultaneously on May 13.

Earlier elections in the region — whether for Parliament, Assembly or local bodies — have recorded much higher scale of violence with a good number of deaths of people from rival sides and security personnel.

The foolproof security bandobast made by the administration resulted in today’s good show. A large number of voters across Bihar complained that in spite of presenting ID cards issued by the Election Commission, they were not allowed to vote since their names were missing from the “revised” electoral rolls.

Most of them said they cast their votes the last time all right and described the “deletion” of their names as baffling.

Amid claims of “certain victory” by the two principal sides — the NDA and the RJD-led coalition — controversy gripped the conduct of two senior politicians in the capital. The vote of union minister and Patna BJP candidate C.P. Thakur was cancelled on the ground of breach of secrecy. Thakur’s wife and a few supporters were standing by his side when he voted at a booth on Fraser Road.

Chief minister Rabri Devi came under the Opposition fire for helping her daughter vote at the Veterinary College polling station.