Around 14 per cent of the 1.03 crore electorate exercised their franchise till 10 am in 48 Assembly constituencies, spread over six districts in Bihar, which have gone to polls in the third phase on Thursday.
Director-general of police Neelmani said that polling was peaceful except for a minor incident in which ruling BJP and RJD workers clashed at booth no 35 and 36 in Raxaul Assembly constituency in East Champaran district.
Long queues were seen before polling booths. Leader of the Opposition and former chief minister Rabri Devi is contesting from Raghopur in Vaishali district and Sonepur in Saran district.
Defects in EVMs were, initially, reported from a few polling centres and Balmikingar, Bagha, Bettiah, Siwan, Vaishali and Gopalganj constituencies, but they were attended to and replaced in some cases.
There are 785 candidates, including 65 women, in fray. Borders with Nepal and Uttar Pradesh have been sealed as the Bihar police and DIG and commissioner of Saran division along with special task force commandos kept a vigil from air, director general of police Neelmani said.
Of the constituencies, Ramnagar, Raghopur, Patepur and Valmikinagar have been identified as Maoist-hit where polling will be held between 7 am to 3 pm.