Bihar MLC polls: Women raise pay, pension demands; 77-year-old retired teacher votes

Patna, Oct 23 (IANS) Voting for eight Bihar Legislative Council seats witnessed participation from voters across the state on Friday, with women voters in Mokama raising demands for the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations and the restoration of the old pension scheme.

In Purnea, 77-year-old retired teacher Sachchidanand Jha also exercised his franchise in the Kosi Teachers’ constituency.

Female voters in Mokama highlighted salary and pension benefits as key concerns for the teaching community.

One woman voter demanded the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations and the restoration of the old pension scheme, underscoring the importance of service conditions and retirement benefits in the teachers’ constituency election.

Meanwhile, Sachchidanand Jha reached a polling station in Purnea to cast his vote in the Kosi Teachers’ constituency election.

The participation of serving and retired teachers reflects their role in choosing representatives to raise issues concerning the teaching community.

Polling is being held for four graduate and four teachers’ constituencies, with 150 candidates in the fray.

Around 5.32 lakh eligible voters exercised their franchise across the eight seats.

A total of 933 polling stations were set up across Bihar, including 598 for graduate constituencies and 335 for teachers’ constituencies.

As many as 3,732 polling personnel were deployed, with four personnel assigned to each polling station.

Election management arrangements also include 933 sector officers, 467 zonal officers and 311 super-zonal officers.

The voting process is being monitored from the Election Commission’s state headquarters, while administrative arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful polling.

The elections cover districts across the Darbhanga, Kosi, Patna and Tirhut divisions.

Polling was held in Begusarai, Darbhanga, Madhubani and Samastipur districts under the Darbhanga division.

The Kosi division includes Araria, Banka, Bhagalpur, Jamui, Katihar, Khagaria, Kishanganj, Lakhisarai, Madhepura, Munger, Purnea, Saharsa, Sheikhpura and Supaul.

In the Patna division, voting was held in Patna, Nalanda and Nawada districts, while Muzaffarpur, Sheohar, Sitamarhi and Vaishali districts fall under the Tirhut division.

The counting of votes is scheduled for October 27.

The results will determine the representatives elected to the Bihar Legislative Council from the four graduate and four teachers’ constituencies.

–IANS

ajk/khz