Over 60 p.c. polling in final phase

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, FEB. 22. The third and last phase of polling for the four State Assemblies concluded on a ``satisfactory note'' barring Bihar where eight persons, including seven gangsters attempting to capture booths, were killed. In Manipur, three police personnel of the Manipur Rifles were killed and three injured in an ambush on the convoy of a candidate. (A PTI report from Patna said 12 people were killed in poll-related violence in the State.)

Briefing reporters here, the Chief Election Commissioner, Dr. M. S. Gill, was at pains to emphasise that the virtually incident- free third phase had to be seen against the backdrop of the past record of the regions concerned.

According to provisional figures, 65 per cent of the voters exercised their franchise in Bihar, 70 per cent in Haryana, 60 per cent in Orissa and 72 to 75 per cent in Manipur. While polling was peaceful in Orissa and Haryana, three Manipur Rifles personnel attached to a sitting legislator in the outgoing Assembly were killed near Imphal town in an ambush.

The third phase involved covered over 300 Assembly segments in four States. Counting of votes would begin on the morning of February 25 and the results out by the next day.

The CEC said several incidents of clashes between activists of rival parties had been reported from Bihar. He, however, said these occurred outside polling booths and did not involve official machinery.

Among the incidents was a dare-devil raid by Mr. Sadhu Yadav, brother-in-law of Mr. Laloo Prasad Yadav, on the Gopalganj police station. Taking advantage of a lone policeman posted, Mr. Sadhu Yadav took away ten criminals lodged there but the police managed to arrest seven of them later and launched a hunt for the remaining three. Mr. Sadhu Yadav is likely to be arrested soon.

Police killed seven supporters of an independent candidate in Betaiah segment when they tried to loot a polling booth. They were led by a notorious criminal, Zakir Mia, brother of an Independent candidate. Zakir carried a reward of Rs. one lakh on his head.

Dr. Gill was all praise for the exemplary work done by the Bihar police and civil officials during the polls saying it only proved that the civil servants could deliver the goods if they were ``allowed'' to do so. The Bihar election had been conducted with half of the force available in 1995 and was made possible due to meticulous planning and coordination among all concerned, Dr. Gill claimed.

The CEC said the first election in Haryana where electronic machines were used in half the constituencies was a grand success.

The experiment would be continued during the Assembly elections scheduled for early next year. As per reports only one incident involving a polling booth in Meham was reported from the State and the Commission decided to take stern action against the staff concerned.

Taking serious note of the February 14 attack on Mrs. Kalpana Mittal Barua, the poll observer in Bihar's Koderma district, the Commission ordered immediate suspension of the officer in charge of Koderma Sadar police station.

According to reports, Mrs. Barua on February 14 faced a ``dangerous and violent mob'' and handled the situation in a courageous manner.

Lovely Anand attacked

UNI, PTI report:

In the Saharsa Assembly segment of Bihar, Mrs. Lovely Anand, high-profile Bihar Peoples Party leader, was allegedly attacked by members of a rival political group near a polling booth. The BPP's polling agent, Mr. Randhir Kumar Sinha, alleged that activists of the Rashtriya Janata Dal were behind the attack. He said a timely intervention by Mrs. Anand's security guards saved the situation.

JD(U) leader stoned to death

The JD(U) president of Singhwara block of Darbhanga's district, Mr. Gulam Rasool, was stoned to death by unidentified assailants near Baraulia village on Monday when he was returning home after electioneering, police said today.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Front Page
Next     : India, China sign pact on WTO