Patna, Nov 11 (IANS) Amid hints of a possible bumper voting, a turnout of 60.40 per cent was recorded till 3 p.m. in the second and final phase of the Bihar Assembly elections on Tuesday, ECI data said.

Kishanganj district recorded the highest voter percentage of 66.10 per cent till 3 p,m.

In Kishanganj district, Kishanganj seat (AC-54) led the pack till 3 p.m. with 68.13 per cent voting. Thakurganj (AC-53) recorded 66.57 per cent, Kochadhaman (AC-55) recorded 66.53 per cent, and Bahadurganj (AC-52) recorded 63.27 per cent.

Purnia district recorded the second-highest rate of voting of 64.22 per cent till 3 p.m., an ECI bulletin said.

The Kasba constituency (AC-58) in the district recorded the highest 66.98 per cent turnout till 3 p.m., followed by Purnia seat (AC-62) at 65.74 per cent and Baisi (AC-Baisi) at 65.08 per cent.

On Tuesday, the slowest rate of voting till 3 p.m. was recorded in Nawada district at 53.17 per cent. The Nawada constituency (AC-237) recorded the most sluggish rate of voting of 49.04 per cent till 3 p.m.

More than 47 per cent of the electorate in Bihar had cast their ballots till 1 p.m., which was almost 5 per cent more than the first phase for the corresponding period, thus raising hopes of record voting in the second phase as well.

Voting is taking place across 122 constituencies spread over 20 districts in the second phase of elections in Bihar.

Earlier, the first phase of the Bihar elections on November 6, clocking 64.66 per cent polling, shattered all previous records as the state never saw more than 63 per cent voting since Independence.

The concluding phase of voting on Tuesday will play a decisive role in shaping the composition of the next state government.

A total of 1,302 candidates, including 136 women and one third-gender candidate, are in the fray in the second phase, which covers parts of central, western, and northern Bihar. Nearly 3.7 crore voters, comprising 1.95 crore men and 1.74 crore women, are eligible to cast their ballots at 45,399 polling stations, the highest ever set up for an election phase in the state.

The first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections concluded peacefully on November 6, with a record voter turnout of 64.66 per cent, the highest in the electoral history of the state, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vinod Singh Gunjiyal said.

In the first phase, a total of 121 Assembly constituencies across 18 districts went to polls, with 3,75,13,302 electors, including 1,98,35,325 male, 1,76,77,219 female and 758 third-gender voters.

The result of all the 243 Assembly constituencies will be declared on November 14.

–IANS

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