NEW DELHI: The third phase of the Bihar Assembly elections passed off peacefully on Sunday, with 47 per cent of the 1.17-crore voters exercising their franchise for 57 seats of the 243-member House.

"The polling was completely peaceful and incident-free," Deputy Election Commissioner Anand Kumar told presspersons here. Central paramilitary forces were deployed at all 12,786 polling stations. The State's borders with Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Nepal were sealed. The Commission had taken up the issue with the State Governments and, through diplomatic channels, with the Nepalese Government.

Candidates held

The administration made 131 arrests, including four candidates. Raj Kumar, Lok Jan Shakti Party candidate from Dhaka constituency, and Prabhat Ranjan Singh, Samajwadi Party candidate from Bagha, were detained for violating Section 144 (prohibitory orders). On Saturday, Janata Dal (United) candidate from Sahibganj Raj Kumar Singh was arrested for carrying a licensed pistol, 119 rounds of ammunition and Rs. 17,000 in cash. Rana Ranjit Singh, Rashtriya Janata Dal candidate from Madhubani, was arrested for violating instructions that campaigning must stop 48 hours ahead of the close of polling.

Polling was also held at 12 booths in Muzaffarpur district. These could not be held during the second phase due to floods. Of the 72 Assembly seats originally scheduled for the third phase, the Commission deferred polling to 15 on account of law and order and security concerns — four each in Madhubani, East and West Champaran and three in Sitamarhi.

Mr. Kumar said polling at five places, four in Dharbhanga and one in Saharsa, was not held, as the Central forces could not reach the polling stations in time. This was in tune with the Commission's decision that if the Central forces did not make it within two hours of the commencement of polling, the booths would go for a repoll. A polling booth in Madhubani witnessed a boycott on a local developmental issue.

The first phase witnessed a 46 per cent voter turnout and the second phase 43 per cent.

Pat for officials

K. Balchand reports from Patna:

Bihar Chief Secretary G.S. Kang attributed the free, fair and peaceful polls in the State to the efforts of Director-General of Police Ashish Ranjan Sinha and Home Secretary H.C. Shirohi.

"It would not have been possible but for the DGP, the Home Secretary and all officers in the State, whoever else you might credit."

Asked how the officers were able to deliver the goods this time, Mr. Kang said: "There was no interference from any quarter on how to conduct the polls." Police and civil officials acted without bias, taking action against whoever was found violating the law. "We have set aside the negative image. We can hold our heads high."

Two presiding officers were held for indulging in poll malpractices. Chandrakant Jha and Phelwan Yadav were arrested in Laukaha constituency in Madhubani district, he said.

A voter suffered a heart attack in Sonbarsa constituency and died on the way to hospital. Family members said they could not get a vehicle to take him to hospital in time.

Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development M.A.A. Fatmi was released on bail on Sunday. He was arrested on Saturday for violating the model code of conduct.

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