Bihar polls: State creates history by clocking 64.7% voter turnout; breaks 25-year-old record

New Delhi: Bihar created history on Thursday by clocking 64.7% voter turnout, the highest ever in any election held in the state. Since the onset of electoral politics in India in 1951-52, the highest polling percentage recorded in a Lok Sabha poll in Bihar was 64.6% in 1998, and in an assembly poll, 62.6% in the year 2000.The record-breaking turnout follows the special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral roll in Bihar, resulting in the deletion of nearly 65 lakh dead, permanently shifted, untraceable and non-citizen electors. The exercise was initially slammed by the opposition parties as an exercise meant to disenfranchise the weaker sections and minorities. The high turnout in Bihar Phase 1 is however being seen as a validation of SIR by the people of Bihar.

Chief election commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Thursday congratulated the electors of Bihar for the steepest voter turnout since 1951. He thanked them for expressing complete faith in the EC and turning up to vote in such large numbers, while also appreciating the entire election machinery for working with full transparency and dedication.

“Bihar has shown the way to the nation, through SIR with zero appeals, the highest voter turnout since 1951, purest electoral roll, enthusiastic participation of electors and a transparent and dedicated election machinery. Democracy has won. It has been an amazing journey for ECI,” said the CEC.Sharing that the first phase of Bihar assembly poll -- covering 121 assembly seats -- had concluded peacefully and with a festive mood, EC said its new initiatives had made voting a "most pleasant experience for the voters".

For the first time, there was live webcasting of polling in 100% of the polling stations, with chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and election commissioners S S Sandhu and Vivek Joshi monitoring the feed from the EC control room here. The CEC engaged with the presiding officers and district election officers from the control room to ensure the smooth progress of polling.

Another first in this election was the visit of 16 foreign delegates from six countries to Bihar as part of the international election visitors' programme (IEVP), to witness the poll proceedings . The delegates, EC said, hailed the Bihar elections for being one of the most well-organised, transparent, efficient and participative elections, internationally.

Over 90,000 ' jeevika didis ' or female volunteers were deployed to assist the polling personnel in identifying the 'purdahnasheen' (veiled) women electors. The presiding officers updated the voter turnout figures at the close of poll before leaving the polling station, cutting the delay in updation of approximate voter turnout trends. Earlier these figures would land till as late as 11.30 pm on polling day. The Bihar polls witnessed use of colour photos of candidates on EVM ballot papers . In another first, electors could deposit their mobiles at the polling stations. Modified voter information slips ensured easy readability. Given that the voters per polling station was capped at 1200, voting could proceed without any long queues and extra waiting times.

Persons with disabilities were facilitated with wheelchairs, deployment of volunteers to assist them and an e-rickshaw facility for them to reach the polling stations.