Bihar Lok Sabha polling highlights: 52.24% turnout till 5 pm, says EC; voting concludes

Bihar Lok Sabha 2024 election highlights : The voting will take place in Valmiki Nagar, Paschim Champaran, Purvi Champaran, Sheohar, Vaishali, Gopalganj, Siwan, Maharajganj.

As the Lok Sabha Election 2024 progresses, Bihar gears up for Phase 6 of polling. So far, voter turnout has been low due to extreme heat. It remains to be seen if Phase 6 will defy these trends.

In Valmiki Nagar, bordering Nepal, JD(U)'s Onil Kumar faces RJD's Deepak Yadav. Paschim Champaran, known for its political activism and birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi, has BJP's Dr. Sanjay Jaiswal against INC's Madan Mohan Tiwari.

Purvi Champaran, with historical significance as George Orwell's birthplace and Mahatma Gandhi's activism site, sees BJP's Radhamohan Singh competing against VKVIP's Naval Kishore Prasad, RJSBP's Vijay Kumar Sahani, and PRCP's Gayanti Devi.

Sheohar, a small and economically backward district, has Lovely Anand contesting against RJD's Ritu Jaiswal. In Vaishali, incumbent MP Veena Devi of JD(U) faces RJD's Vijay Kumar Shukla.

Bihar Lok Sabha election live updates:

In Maharajganj, BJP's Janardan Singh Sigriwal contests against INC's Akash Kumar Singh.

As Bihar votes today, the focus is on whether this phase will see a higher turnout and significant political shifts despite the challenging conditions.

Here are the highlights: 

3.16 pm:  RJD Candidate from Vaishali, Vijay Kumar Shukla said, "I urge the public to vote for removing unemployment, inflation..Reservation, farming and form the government of ‘mahagathbandhan’….I am confident of my victory….”

2 pm: Constituency wise turnout till 1 pm

West Champaran: 37.75%
East Champaran: 37.97%
Siwan: 31.59%
Maharajganj: 34.75%
Gopalganj: 36.64%
Vaishali:40.48%
Sheohar :38.89%
Valmiki Nagar :36.64%

1.30 pm: Police have detained a person from Bagaha in Valmiki Nagar seat. He is accused of distributing money. The arrested person, Ashok Shukla, works in a sugar mill and is said to be close to RJD candidate Deepak Yadav.

8.40 am: Gangster-turned-politician Anand Mohan says, "...Yaha toh hoga 400 paar, vaha hoga Delhi paar'. We are in a comfortable position in Sheohar, results will be great." Anand Mohan Singh's wife Lovely Anand is contesting from the Sheohar Lok Sabha seat as a Janata

8.30 am:  Hena Shahab, wife of Gangster-politician late Mohammad Shahabuddin, casts her vote at a polling station in Siwan. Hena Shahab is contesting as an Independent from here.

8.17 am: "It’s the country’s election. You all know that no one is a better candidate than Narendra Modi to be the Prime Minister,” says JD(U) candidate from Bihar’s Sheohar seat Lovely Anand.

8 AM: After casting his vote, Former Bihar BJP president Sanjay Jaiswal says, "...This is not just a slogan but the people of the country believe that this time BJP will cross 400 seats because we've given electricity, gas, free ration..."

7:25 AM As Bihar votes in eight constituencies for the Lok Sabha Election 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to hold election rallies in three parliamentary constituencies. While voters head to the polls, PM Modi will be campaigning, adding to the political fervour in the state.

7:00 AM Voting commences in Bihar; armed security forces are deployed at every booth across 8 constituencies. Strict measures are in place to handle any disruptions. Enhanced vigilance is in effect, especially for the half a dozen seats bordering Nepal and Uttar Pradesh.

6: 45 AM:  Gopalganj, a reserved SC seat, witnesses JD(U)'s Alok Kumar Suman against GNASURKP's Ram Kumar Manjhi and AIMIM's Dinanath Manjhi. Siwan's RJD candidate Awadh Bihari Chaudhary challenges Vijay Lakshmi Devi.