PATNA, 8 February 2005 — Repolling was held yesterday at hundreds of centers in two north Indian states where rigging was suspected during state elections as one paramilitary trooper was killed and four other people injured in a land mine blast.
One Border Security Force (BSF) member died and another was injured in the explosion which also wounded three election officials in Jharkhand state’s northern Palamau district where Naxalite rebels are active, police said.
Violence, particularly in Naxal areas, as well as voting irregularities led to the fresh balloting at more than 700 stations in Jharkhand and Bihar.
“Most booths (in Bihar) going for repoll Monday are those that recorded over 70 percent polling in Thursday’s polls,” Bihar’s chief election officer K.C. Saha said.
Under a new rule, the independent poll panel automatically orders a recast of votes at any booth recording turnout of over 70 percent.
The turnout in 64 of the 243 assembly constituencies that voted Thursday in Bihar was below 55 percent.
At least 19 people were killed in Maoist attacks and other violence during the first of three phases of elections for new state legislatures in Bihar and Jharkhand.
Paramilitary personnel had been deployed at every one of the 658 stations where repolling was taking place in Bihar, security officials said.
Bihar, blighted by caste conflict, has millions of unemployed among a population of 80 million and is considered India’s poorest and most lawless state.
Opinion polls predict that India’s ruling Congress party would boost its popularity, winning Jharkhand while in Bihar, federal railways minister and Congress ally Lalu Yadav’s regional party was set to retain power.
Repolling was also held Sunday at 347 centers in Bihar and 21 polling stations in Jharkhand on Sunday, following violence and rigging.
The second round of voting will take place on Feb. 15 and the final round on Feb. 23. Bihar has 30,705 polling stations and Jharkhand 10,883.
Haryana state, west of the capital New Delhi, also voted for a new legislature last Thursday. Results were not due until the end of the month, but Congress is tipped to oust the opposition.
In an unrelated development, ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP from Madhepura, Pappu Yadav yesterday resigned from the primary membership of the party. Sources close to Pappu Yadav indicated that their “boss” may soon return to Ram Vilas Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party.
