Bihar polls: 2nd phase ends defying Naxal boycott
PATNA: Defying call for a poll boycott by Maoists , around 52 per cent of the 98.44 lakh electorate cast their votes in 45 Assembly constituencies in Bihar in the second phase of elections which was marred by stray incidents of violence. The second phase of voting in crucial Naxal -affected districts of Bihar came to an end on Sunday. Minor incidents of violence though have caused some disturbance as three polling officials have been reported to be missing from a booth in the Sitamarhi district in Bihar. The overall voter turnout was 52 per cent. East Champaran saw the highest voter turnout at 58 per cent. Stray incidents of violence occurred in Sitamarhi, Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga districts. The Naxals who had called for a boycott of the polls set fire to an electronic voting machine and other poll material including voter identity cards. Heavily-armed Naxals raided a polling centre at Subaigarh in Runisaidpur constituency and burnt down the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) b...