21% votes polled in Bihar till noon

An estimated 21 per cent of the electorate today exercised their franchise in the second phase of Lok Sabha polls till noon, even as villagers boycotted polls at certain places in the state. 

Long queues of voters were seen at several booths in Valmikinagar, East Champaran, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur and Sheohar seats, as the polling gradually picked up from eight in the morning after beginning on a dull note earlier.  

Some technical fault in EVMs were detected at some polling centres in Sitamarhi, Valmikinagar, East Champaran and Darbhanga Lok Sabha seats, but they were either repaired or replaced immediately.  

Voters did not not turn up at 21 polling stations in the constituencies of Sitamarhi (5), Darbhanga (3), East Champaran (3), Madhubani (1), West Champaran (3), Hajipur (4) and Vaishali (2) alleging lack of  development in their areas.