52 percent turnout recorded in Bhagalpur
By Avijit Biswas
Bhagalpur, April 26, 2024: Despite all out administrative efforts to ensure high turnout of voters in election held for this parliamentary seat today, the poll percentage crossed barely fifty percent mark. As per information available from local Information and Public Relation Department (IPRD) total 52 % polling was recorded at closing hours of the poll.
However, there could be slight variations in final calculation of polling percentage, the IPRD information stated. The polling percentage recorded here this time is low compared to poll percentage recorded in 2019 parliamentary election. Total 59.3% votes had been cast in 2019 parliamentary election, as per available information.
Though there are no specific reasons for lukewarm response of voters however in general it is felt the turnout of voters remained low due to prevailing heat wave conditions here. Starting on a brisk note the polling percentage dropped as day advanced. The turnout of voters at polling booths remained particularly low in afternoon.
However, compared to urban areas the turnout of voters remained high at polling booths located in rural areas. This constituency having vast diara area, people in riverine belt in number of cases travelled by boat to reach polling stations.
Chhote Lal Mandal, a resident of Tapuwa village in Rani diara said he travelled to his polling booth located at high school in Tapuwa village under Pirpainti assembly segment from Gobrahi diara, where he stays presently for undertaking agricultural activities and rearing livestock. However, he was unable to caste his vote as his name did not figure in voters list.
Mandal a senior citizen said in some previous elections also he failed to cast his vote as his name did not figure in voters list. He was unable to state clearly whether he possess a voter identity card. Mandal however expressed his frustration of not being able to vote in last few successive elections because of the fact his name do not figure in voters list.
In some polling booths of the constituency located in Goaradih, Kahalgaon, Bihpur blocks voters reportedly abstained from voting in early hours of the day registering protest against local problems remaining unsolved.
In the meantime, to propagate message about need of increasing green cover for combating global warming, at behest of local administration at three polling booths in city here bearing number 41, 48 and 85, the voters were provided plant saplings by authorities.
DM, Nawal Kishore Choudhury, handed over plant saplings to number of voters at the polling booths declared as green polling booths. In adjoining Banka constituency total 54% percent polling was recorded in closing hours of poll. The polling remained peaceful in both Banka and Bhagalpur constituencies.
The author is former Principal Correspondent of Hindustan Times, Bhagalpur Bureau
