Voters at the municipal council polling station in Purnea on Sunday. Picture by Mohan Mahato

Gaya/ Purnea/ Chhapra, April 10: Polling on the teachers’ and graduate constituencies in Gaya, Kosi and Chhapra regions for the state Legislative Council seats passed off peacefully today.

In Gaya teachers’ constituency, the fate of 19 candidates, including 13 graduates and six teachers, was sealed in the ballot boxes following the polls held on 230 booths in eight districts — Gaya, Aurangabad, Jehanabad, Arwal, Kaimur, Bhojpur, Nawada and Rohtas.

Among those contesting the election are Congress candidate Arun Kumar, six-time winner from the teachers’ constituency, and sitting MLC of graduate constituency Awadhesh Narayan Singh of BJP. Security arrangements were stepped up at the polling booths. Web-casting of the poll process was also done and micro observers were deputed at all the booths to ensure fair polling. Election officer-cum-Magadh division commissioner Vivek Kumar Singh said for teachers’ constituency, there were 11,687 voters and for the graduate constituency, 82,600 voters. A strongroom for ballot boxes has been made at the Gaya college. Counting of votes would be held on April 13.

In Purnea, around 80 per cent voting was reported from the 14 districts under Kosi teachers’ constituency. Highest percentage of voting was recorded from Araria (86.17), while Bhalgalpur recorded the lowest 74 per cent votes.

No incident of violence or other disturbances was reported from either of the districts. In Purnea, 1,059 voters out of 1,242 cast their votes at 15 different polling stations.

Three candidates — Sanjiv Kumar Singh supported by JD (U), Yogendra Mahato, supported by the RJD and Independent candidate Rakesh Kumar Choubey — were in the fray for election from Kosi teachers’ constituency.

Deputy director of public relations department Ajay Kumar said that in Saran district 47 per cent, in Gopalganj district 53.69 per cent, in Siwan district 57 per cent, in Motihari district 59 per cent and in Bettiah district 55 per cent polling was recorded. The average polling percentage was about 55 per cent. In all, 63,447 voters, including 8,014 women, exercised their franchise in the constituency.