Thursday, February 3 2005 12:34 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: An estimated 20 per cent votes were cast in the elections to the 90-member Assembly in Haryana and in the first phase of polls in Bihar and Jharkhand.

As Jharkhand, formed three years ago, went to polls for the first time to elect its Assembly, CPI-Maoist (Communist Party of India) ultras blew up a vehicle in a landmine blast killing all six poicemen and the civilian driver.

While its a single-day polling in Haryana, Bihar and Jharkhand will have three-phased elections. The first phase of polling include 64 constituencies in Bihar and 24 in Jharkhand.

Voters in five booths of Nathnagar Assembly constituency in Bhagalpur decided to boycott polls alleging discrepancies in distribution of photo identity cards.

Ghosi Assembly constituency witnessed violence with anti-socials firing at a booth to intimidate voters.

Haryana recorded 11.2 per cent voter turnout till 10:00 hrs (IST) with Congress chief Bhajan Lal being among the first to cast their franchise in his home constituency Adampur. However, some of his detractors objected to him casting a ballot in the presence of the electronic media.