Patna: The Bankipur assembly bypoll recorded a poor turnout on Thursday, with most polling stations wearing a deserted look and only a few booths witnessing a steady flow of voters. Despite extensive security arrangements and awareness campaigns by the Election Commission, long queues were largely missing at several polling centres.At several polling stations, security personnel stood guard as polling officials waited patiently for voters to arrive. Empty chairs, vacant voting enclosures and silent corridors dominated the scene at many booths during the morning hours. However, a handful of polling stations buzzed with activity as enthusiastic electors, including senior citizens, women and young voters, turned up to exercise their franchise.Several voters who reached polling stations said they considered voting their responsibility and urged others to participate in the democratic process.“I came early to cast my vote because every single vote matters. We keep talking about development and governance, but change begins when we step out to vote,” said Rajesh Ranjan, a resident of Rajendra Nagar.At St Xavier’s High School polling station, Guruvachan Singh Bacchan and his wife were among the first to cast their votes. Singh said voting had always taken precedence over everything else on election day. “I always cast my vote before having breakfast. Voting is my first priority on election day,” he said.Speaking about the issues that influenced his choice, Singh said, “Most of the issues in our locality have already been addressed by the govt. An open drain (Mandiri drain) near our house has been covered, which has reduced the mosquito problem. We also got piped drinking water under the Nal-Jal scheme. Clean water is now available, and development has taken place.”For other voters, however, employment and education remained the foremost concerns.Shiv Prasad Agrawal, a resident of TN Banerjee Road, said, “The key issues in this election are education, migration and the need for change. We hope the elected representative will work towards creating better opportunities so that people do not have to leave their homes in search of jobs.”Despite the low turnout at several polling stations, elderly voters turned out in good numbers, underscoring their commitment to the democratic process. Many arrived with family members, while others used e-rickshaws or walked slowly with the support of sticks, determined not to miss their chance to vote.An elderly couple, Asha Devi and Dinesh Shah, travelled to the Patna Women’s College polling station in an e-rickshaw to exercise their franchise. Despite living alone, the couple said they were determined to cast their votes, adding that age and inconvenience would not stop them from participating in the electoral process.A septuagenarian, Shanti Devi, who arrived with the help of her family, said she had never missed an election. “I have voted in every election since I became eligible. It is my duty as a citizen, and I wanted to fulfil it again today,” she said.Another elderly voter said, “The real issue is the students. Our time is over. We are old. We have to look after the future of our children.”Among the younger electorate, professionals and women voters also made their presence felt. Avnish Verma, an IT professional who arrived with his family at the Patna Women’s College polling station, said participating in elections was an essential civic duty.“Busy work schedules are never an excuse to skip voting. If we expect accountability from our political representatives, we must first participate in the electoral process,” he said.As the day progressed, polling picked up at a few locations, but several booths continued to witness sparse footfall, reflecting an overall subdued response in one of Bihar’s most closely watched bypolls.
