PATNA, 27 October 2005 — Low turnout marked the second phase of polling in Bihar yesterday which passed off with sporadic incidents of violence, in 62 of the 243 constituencies. About 40 to 45 percent voters turned out to exercise their right to franchise, sources said.

About six million people, out of 13 million eligible voters, voted in Bihar to pick a new government, with officials claiming peaceful balloting, marred only by the gunning down of a man.

A man mistaken for a booth grabber was shot dead and another was injured by security forces while there were minor clashes at a few other places.

Bihar’s Chief Electoral Officer N.K. Sinha said that the voter turnout was between 40 to 45 percent.

Political heavyweights whose electoral fates were sealed in electronic voting machines (EVMs) include former Chief Minister Rabri Devi of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) (Raghopur), Bihar state Congress President and former Speaker Sadanand Singh (Kahalgaon).

There was also a host of ministers in the erstwhile Rabri Devi government who contested in this phase.

Sources said a “mentally unsound” priest, Pappu Singh was shot dead when he pointed a toy pistol at a Border Security Force (BSF) contingent posted at Booth No. 45 in Raghopur constituency.

Vaishali District Magistrate-cum-District Election Officer Sanjeev Hans ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident.

Bablu Mahto, a member of the notorious Ashok Mahto gang, was injured in firing by central paramilitary forces to quell a gun-battle between armed supporters of rival candidates at a polling station at Barsa in Sheikhpura constituency.

Ashok Mahto’s relative Rinki Devi is contesting from Sheikhpura as an independent candidate against Sunila Devi of the Congress and daughter-in-law of slain former Congress MP Rajo Singh. Mahto is said to have masterminded Singh’s killing last month.

Meanwhile, Zee News and C-Voter exit poll at the end of second phase of polling in suggested that the RJD-led alliance and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National democratic Allaince (NDA) appear to be running neck-in-neck for 62 seats. All this indicates a slight edge to Lalu Yadav led front.

Exit poll result showed 28 seats to RJD and its allies and 21 to the NDA. A downward slide for Ram Vilas Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), giving it just eight and seven seats respectively is being projected.

Independents were again emerging as strong factors in deciding the shape of the assembly this time, having notched up about 22 percent of the votes. The pollsters gave five to 10 seats to them.

The exit poll results of the first phase of elections held in 57 seats gave 19 seats to RJD, 30 to NDA and four, each to LJP and independents.

On the other hand, sate Governor Buta Singh yesterday issued notification for the fourth and final phase of assembly polls in 41 constituencies on Nov. 19.

With this the process of filing of nominations began yesterday and would end on Nov. 2. Scrutiny of nomination papers will be held on Nov. 3 and names can be withdrawn till Nov. 5. The 41 constituencies are spread over Patna, Nalanda, Saran, Siwan and Gopalganj districts. The third round of polling will take place on Nov.13.

The government has issued shoot at sight orders against troublemakers.

Center Vows Legal ‘Remedy’ Over AMU

In an unrelated incident, the central government yesterday said it stands staunchly by its decision to seek a “legal remedy” to restore the Aligarh Muslim University’s (AMU) minority status. “This is something that can be sorted out in a legal forum. We very much regard the AMU as a minority institution and will explore a legal remedy to restore this status,” HRD Minister Arjun Singh said.

His remarks came in the face of the BJP’s allegations that the Congress-led government intended to “convert the Aligarh Muslim University into an Aligarh Muslim Madrasa.”

“We will study the court order and work for a legal remedy,” Singh said, referring to the Allahabad High Court’s annulment of the AMU Amendment Act of 1981, which designated the university as a minority institution.