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The much-anticipated results of the elections and by-elections for 31 municipal bodies in Bihar are expected today.
Vote counting commenced at 58 centers at 8 am, determining the candidates chosen by the public. On Friday, voting took place across 1673 polling stations in 58 municipalities, with a total of 805 posts at stake. A total of 4431 candidates, including 2197 males and 2234 females, contested the elections, while nine candidates have already been elected unopposed.
The polling was conducted in various districts, including Patna, Buxar, Rohtas, Aurangabad, Vaishali, Nalanda, Nawada, Gopalganj, Muzaffarpur, East Champaran, West Champaran, Shivhar, Sitamarhi, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Kishanganj, Munger, Lakhisarai, Saharsa, Jamui, and Banka. Notably, the State Election Commission introduced the use of Facial Recognition System (FRS) for voter identity verification, a first-time initiative in these elections.
To ensure a peaceful environment, a heavy police presence has been deployed at the polling stations and counting centers. Additionally, the SEC has established control rooms at the Municipal/District/Commission level to address any issues or complaints that may arise during the counting process. Citizens have been provided with online platforms to conveniently access the election results.
Furthermore, by-elections were also held in seven wards of urban local bodies, where previously elected representatives had resigned in the months following the December city elections. The SEC affirmed that the elections were conducted smoothly, and measures were taken to facilitate easy access to election results for the public.