Patna: A provisional voter turnout of 74.55% in four teachers’ constituencies and 43.87% in four graduates’ constituencies marked the biennial elections to eight seats of Bihar legislative council on Friday.While polling remained largely peaceful across 933 polling stations, the electoral battle turned into a high-stakes test of coordination for the ruling NDA. CM Samrat Choudhary and alliance partners actively managed critical micro-level friction to achieve a clean sweep.According to data released by the office of the chief electoral officer (CEO) up to the 4pm closing time, urban apathy was visible in the state capital. Despite a large number of urban electors, Patna Teachers’ and Patna Graduates’ constituencies recorded the lowest percentages in their respective categories.Among the teachers’ seats, Saran recorded the highest turnout at 87.16%, followed by Darbhanga at 79% and Tirhut at 78.10%. Patna Teachers’ recorded the lowest at 56.89%.In the graduates’ constituencies, Kosi led with 52.51% voting, followed by Tirhut at 42.15% and Darbhanga at 42%. Patna Graduates’ recorded the lowest turnout at 36.19%.Election officials noted that these figures are provisional and final numbers, which may vary slightly, will be available by Saturday evening. A total of 150 candidates were in the fray with 5,32,847 electors eligible to vote.The spotlight remained on Patna Graduates’ constituency due to an open rift within JD(U). Mokama strongman and MLA Anant Singh threw his weight behind Jan Suraaj candidate Anuj Singh, actively campaigning against his own party’s official nominee, incumbent MLC Neeraj Kumar. The rivalry escalated on Friday near a polling station in Mokama, where a scuffle broke out between supporters of both factions, prompting police to take five people into custody.In another high-profile action in Patna, authorities detained former JD(U) functionary Arvind Singh alias Chhotu Singh at Jakkanpur police station for several hours. Local police said he was brought in for questioning based on intelligence inputs that he might disturb peace and order during the election. An FIR was lodged against incumbent MLC Afaque Ahmad, the Jan Suraaj candidate for Saran Teachers’ constituency, for violating the Model Code of Conduct by posting campaign material on social media.Security personnel foiled an attempted electoral fraud at Miller School polling booth in Patna. Three employees of a local hotel — Shankar, a Nepal resident, Anil Kumar and Alok Kumar — were arrested for attempting to vote using fake identity cards. Police said the trio used artificial intelligence (AI) tools to alter the original photographs on the cards.A minor scuffle was reported after independent candidate Bhushan Jha was asked to leave a booth in Muzaffarpur, while reports of supporters manhandling polling officials emerged from other parts of the district. In Patna’s Phulwarisharif, RJD and Jan Suraaj workers created a commotion, alleging voters were being coerced into backing the JD(U) candidate.The CEO’s office said it received 13 formal complaints during polling and all were resolved promptly.The election sparked a war of words between rival coalitions. Leader of Opposition and RJD national working president Tejashwi Yadav accused the ruling coalition of misusing govt machinery. “They used the government machinery to slow down voting and enable voter impersonation. Our candidates are being tormented. This is a ‘do numbari’ (dishonest) government. Their tricks, however, will not work and we will win all eight seats,” Tejashwi told reporters.Dismissing the allegations, JD(U) functionary Shyam Rajak said the polling process was completely smooth and claimed a strong wave of public support would carry NDA to victory across all eight seats.All eyes have now turned to the counting of votes, scheduled to begin on Oct 27.
