Patna, Nov 5 (IANS) : Tens of thousands of people queued up at polling stations on Thursday to vote in the fifth and final round of the staggered Bihar assembly elections.

Bihar police chief P.K. Thakur said that so far polling is peaceful with no report of violence, barring minor clashes between rivals.

The turn out was recorded at 11.13 percent in the first hour of ballotting.

Voting also took place in some of the state's most backward pockets notorious for poverty, illiteracy as well as migration.

Stray incidents of clashes were reported between rival groups. At some places, the electronic voting machines malfunctioned. Apart from that, it was a smooth exercise.

Officials said that voters in over a dozen villages have boycotted polls and shouted slogans against the lack of development.

Five helicopters, drones and central paramilitary forces have been deployed at all polling booths for the polls, Additional Chief Electoral Officer R. Lakshaman said.

"Initially queues were small. Now voters are seen standing in long queues outside polling booths," an official of the chief electoral office here said.

Voting began at 7 a.m. and will end at 5 p.m.

About 1.55 crore voters will be eligible to decide the political fate of 827 candidates in this phase in seven districts -- Kishanganj, Purnea, Araria and Katihar in Seemanchal region, and Saharsa, Madhepura and Supaul in Kosi region.

This phase is crucial for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his allies, RJD chief Lalu Prasad and the Congress, as well as the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA in the keen battle to control the 243-seat Bihar assembly.

Earlier report

Patna, Nov 5 , 2015, (PTI): Voting began this morning in 57 constituencies spread over nine districts in the fifth and final phase of the Bihar Assembly poll amid tight security.

The 57 seats include 24 in the Seemanchal region bordering West Bengal spread over crucial districts of Madhubani, Darbhanga, Supual, Madhepura, Saharsa, Araria, Kisanganj, Purnea and Katihar.

An electorate size of 1,55,43,594 are eligible exercise their franchise, in deciding the fate of 827 candidates, including 58 women.

Tight security arrangements have been put in place to ensure a free and fair poll.

A total of 1,033 companies (one company has 100 personnel) of state police force and Central paramilitary force, besides 74,469 polling personnel would be deployed on all the 14,709 polling stations to ensure free and fair polling in the fifth and final phase of voting on 57 seats, Additional Chief Electoral Officer R Lakshmanan said.

Out of 14,709 polling stations, 5,518 and 276 polling stations have been declared as critical and Left-wing extremist-hit booths respectively, he said.

Results for the elections would be declared for all the phases on November 8.

Meanwhile, authorities have seized Rs 2.51 crore unaccounted cash besides 83,067 litres of illicit country made and foreign liquor worth Rs 1.34 crore from nine districts prior to the poll.

Except for two Naxal-hit seats in Simri Bhaktiyarpur and Mahisi in Saharsa district, polling will take place on the remaining 55 constituencies at scheduled 7 AM to 5 PM, Lakshmanan said.