Voter turnout reached around 9.84 percent as of 9 am on Friday, according to officials, in the five Lok Sabha constituencies of Bihar. The constituencies of Kishanganj, Katihar, Purnia, Bhagalpur, and Banka witnessed polling starting at 7 am, with voting set to continue until 6 pm.
The electors, including 45.15 lakh women and 306 belonging to the third gender, will decide the fate of 50 nominees. As of 9 am, voter turnout varied across the five Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar, with Katihar recording over 12.01 percent, Banka at 10.65 percent, Purnea at 9.36 percent, Bhagalpur at 8.92 percent, and Kishanganj at 8.32 percent, according to the official. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U), in alliance with the BJP, is vying for all five seats. Notably, JD(U) aims to win Kishanganj, traditionally held by Congress, while defending its incumbent MPs in the remaining four constituencies.
Also Read| Kerala Lok Sabha Election 2024: Man Dies after Voting At Ottapalam in Palakkad
More than 150 companies of paramilitary forces are assisting the local police in ensuring free and fair polls, the official said. As the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections unfolds, Bihar finds itself grappling with an intense heat wave, with temperatures soaring beyond 40 degrees Celsius across much of the state.