Patna: Bihar seemed to be heading towards a record-breaking turnout in the second and final phase of the high-stakes assembly polls, seen as a veritable referendum on its longest-serving Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, with 60.4 per cent of 3.7 crore voters across 122 constituencies having exercised their franchise till 3 pm.

Polling began at a brisk pace, with figures made available by the Election Commission constantly surpassing the same for the corresponding period on November 6, when 121 seats had witnessed, in the first phase, the “highest ever turnout” of 65.09 per cent by the end of the day.

Kishanganj, the lone Muslim-majority district in the state, recorded the highest polling percentage so far at 66.1, followed by adjoining Purnea (64.22) and Katihar (63.8). Voting turnout has a

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