Bihar polling begins amid minor blast

Maoists triggered a minor blast in the Bawandeo area of Bihar’s Gaya district on Saturday morning as polling began for the sixth and final phase of the State Assembly elections, official reports said.

The banned outfit had earlier given call for boycotting polls in the state.

Polling is being conducted in 26 out of the state’s 234 constituencies to decide the fates of a total 426 candidates.

A total of 18 constituencies, including Gaya, Aurangabad and Buxar, are Maoist affected.

The polling will be conducted between 7 am and 5 pm, but it would continue only till 3 pm in the Maoist-hit areas, the reports said.