5 Bihar Seats Witness 44.24% Voter Turnout by 3 PM

44.24% voter turnout in 5 Bihar constituencies in Phase 2. 50 candidates contesting; 93 lakh eligible voters. Highest turnout in Purnea (46.78%), lowest in Bhagalpur (39.49%). Deputy CM urges voters to participate; Congress MP alleges fake statement to sway votes. Over 150 paramilitary companies deployed for security amidst heatwave conditions.

A voter turnout of 44.24 per cent was recorded till 3 pm in the five Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar where polling was underway in the second phase on Friday, officials said.

Polling started at 7 am in Kishanganj, Katihar, Purnia, Bhagalpur and Banka constituencies, and would continue till 6 pm, they said.

Fifty candidates are in the fray in these five seats, and over 93 lakh people are eligible to decide their fate, they added.

Purnea recorded a voter turnout of 46.78 per cent, Katihar (46.76 per cent), Kishanganj (45.58 per cent), Banka (42.89 per cent) and Bhagalpur (39.49 per cent) till 3 pm, officials said.

Speaking to reporters in Lakhisarai, Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha said, ''I urge people to exercise their franchise in large numbers. People must vote for the overall growth of the country as well as Bihar.'' Meanwhile, Congress' Kishanganj MP Mohd Javed, who is seeking re-election, filed a police complaint, alleging that his opponents issued a fake statement in his name asking voters to vote in favour of another candidate.

''It was an attempt by my opponents to mislead voters of Kishanganj. I filed a complaint against the suspects last night,'' he told reporters.

More than 150 companies of paramilitary forces are assisting the state police in ensuring free and fair elections in this phase, officials said.

Polling was underway amid intense heatwave conditions with the mercury shooting past the 40-degrees Celsius mark in most parts of the state.

Arrangements for tents and drinking water have been made at the polling stations, officials said.

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