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| Polling agents verify documents of voters at a booth in Doranda Assembly constituency on Thursday. Telegraph picture |
Siwan/Patna, Oct. 13: The bypoll for the Doranda Assembly seat in Siwan district passed off peacefully today amid an enthusiastic turnout of female voters at all polling stations. An estimated 44 per cent poll was recorded.
Siwan district magistrate Lokesh Kumar said no untoward incident was reported from any part of the constituency during the election. “The polling passed off peacefully amid tight security arrangements,” Lokesh said.
Security personnel, however, detained seven persons and seized 22 motorcycles and one SUV.
Sources said the district administration did not allow former Maharajganj MP Prabhu Nath Singh to move near the constituency.
The polling started at 7am. Initially, the turnout of the voters was slow but it gained momentum after noon.
A large number of female electorate was seen standing in long queues waiting for their turn to exercise their franchise.
The control room received a few complaints of technical snag in the EVMs, however, they were replaced by the administration immediately. Sources said the polling got delayed for about half-an-hour because of technical snag in the EVMs. Twelve companies of the central paramilitary force were deployed at 244 polling stations.
Sources said a piquant situation arose when Ajay Singh, husband of JD(U) candidate Kavita Singh reached the polling booth to cast his vote without any identity proof. Later, the polling agents at the booth identified him.
Nine candidates are in the fray for the seat that fell vacant following the death JD(U) MLA Jagmato Devi.
Kavita Singh, the daughter-in-law of Jagmato and wife of Ajay Singh, is contesting the election as a JD(U) nominee for the seat. She has locked horns with RJD’s Parmeshwar Singh, Jay Nath of the CPI-ML and Kalika Singh of the Congress.
Others are contesting as Independents.
The counting of votes would be held on October 17. The result of the election would be announced the same day.
