Over 51 percent voter turnout has been recorded till 5 PM in the first phase of Bihar assembly polls on Wednesday, the Election Commission said in its provisional data as reported in a PTI report. Voting ended at 6 PM.

A total of 71 assembly segments in 16 districts of the state's 243 constituencies voted in the first phase in which nearly 2.15 crore voters were to decide the electoral fate of over 1,000 candidates.

As per the provisional voter turnout data updated by the Election Commission at 5 PM, 51.91 per cent of the total electorates have exercised their franchise.

The maximum 55.95 per cent turnout has been recorded in Kaimur, followed by 55.44 per cent in Lakhisarai, Buxar (53.84 per cent), Bhagalpur (52.16 per cent) and Patna (51.02 per cent) among others.

Polling time was curtailed in the naxal-affected areas. Out of the 71 constituencies, 35 are in naxal-hit areas where polling was conducted in a staggered manner.