Thursday, February 3 2005 10:33 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: An estimated five to eight per cent voters cast their ballots till 09:30 hrs (IST) as polling began on a moderate note in the 64 Assembly constituencies in the first phase election in Bihar, State election office sources said.

Detection of defects in electronic voting machines at two polling stations in Bhagalpur before the polling started, led to protests by locals who shouted slogans against the poll personnel, the sources said.

A large number of voters were seen queuing up before the booths in Ara, Jehanabad, Buxar, Gaya and Sasaram towns.

Anti-socials fired at a booth in Ghosi Assembly constituency to intimidate the voters, the sources said. An official report from Gaya said, former JD-U (Janata Dal-United) MP Arun Kumar was taken into custody near Sikaria on the charge of electoral malpractices.

Husband of an independent candidate for Bodh Gaya Mamata Kumari was also detained while moving in a vehicle with his supporters in Bodh Gaya, the report said.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made for smooth conduct of the poll. Altogether 232 companies of central para-military forces (CPMF), 30 companies of Punjab Armed Police and ten companies of West Bengal Armed Police have fanned out in different constituencies.

In view of stepped up violence by the naxalites who have called for boycott of the elections, the Government has pressed into service two helicopters to patrol the skies with special task force personnel in the naxal-hit areas.

Prominent candidates include Speaker of the Assembly and Congress nominee Sadanand Singh (Kahalgaon), RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) Ministers Shakeel Ahmed Khan (Gurua), Raghvendra Pratap Singh (Barhara) and Jagdanand Singh (Ramgarh), besides Samajwadi Party's (SP) State president Dadan Singh alias Pahelwan (Dumraon). While RJD has fielded 58 candidates, Congress has 21, BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) 27, JD-U 36, BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) 64, Samajwadi Party 33 and CPI-ML (Communist Party of India- Marxist- Leninist) 32.

Another report from Bhagalpur said the voters decided to boycott the poll in at least five booths of Nathnagar Assembly constituency alleging major discrepancies in distribution of photo identity cards.