Polling peaceful as Mokama , Gopalganj record 52.38% turnout

PATNA: The by-election in two constituencies of Mokama and Gopalganj recorded 52.38 % voters turnout with no untoward incident reported from any of the constituencies during the day-long voting, which will decide the fate of a total of 16 candidates in the fray from two seats.

However, one polling personnel, identified as Sanjay Kumar, posted at booth number 46 in Mokama assembly constituency, died of a heart attack before polling started in the constituency in the morning, officials in the state election department said.

“ There was no untoward incident reported from any of the constituency in today’s by-poll voting. The polling passed off peacefully,” said, chief electoral officer(CEO), Bihar, H R Srinivasa, and ADG ( headquarters) Jitendra Singh Gangwar in a joint presser after the polling concluded in the evening.

Referring to the death of the polling officer, the CEO said Kumar had complained of uneasiness before the mock poll at the polling station and died of a heart attack. “He was an employee of veterinary college, Patna, and was posted as third polling officer,” the CEO said.

The by-poll in Gopalganj was necessitated after the death of former MLA and minister Subhash Singh while the Mokama seat fell vacant following the conviction of former MLA and strongman Anant Singh in an Arms Act case.

The by-poll is also the first major poll faceoff between the ruling Grand Alliance (GA) and opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with GA-backed RJD candidates in Mokama and Gopalganj pitted against BJP nominees in both the seats. Neelam Kumari, the wife of former MLA Anant Singh, is pitted against Sonam Devi of the BJP in Mokama while Kusum Devi, wife of former minister Subhash Singh, is pitted against RJD’s Mohan Prasad Gupta of the RJD and BSP’s Indira Devi, wife of former MP Anirudh Prasad alias Sadhu Yadav.

Giving break up of polling recorded in two seats, Srinivasa said Mokama recorded 53.45 % voters turnout while Gopalganj recorded 51.48% voters turnout, which was slightly lower than the turnout in both the seats in 2020 assembly polls.

In the 2020 assembly polls, Mokama recorded 54.01% voter turnout while Gopalganj recorded a 55.03% turnout.

The CEO also said that the number of complaints of malfunction in EVMs, VVPAT, and control units in today’s polling very low owing to the use of advanced machines to detect technical snags during the first level checking of the EVMs.

“ Central paramilitary force was stationed in all polling stations along with adequate deployment of state police and home guards as well as patrolling magistrates,” said ADG( HQ), Gangwar. He said 30 companies of CPMF were deployed in two constituencies of which 16 companies were posted in Gopalganj and 14 companies in Mokama.

“Proper security measures are in place at the counting centres,” said the ADG.

The counting of votes will be held on November 6.