In Bihar, elaborate arrangements have been made for the first phase of assembly elections. 71 constituencies spread over 16 districts will go to polls in this phase tomorrow.
Keeping in mind the Covid-19 situation, Election Commission has issued guidelines to be followed during the polling. Every person has been instructed to wear mask during election related activities. Thermal scanning of all persons will be carried out and sanitizers will be made available at all locations during polling. All polling booths will be sanitised. In view of covid situation, only 1,000 voters will exercise their franchise at each polling station, instead of 1,500.
Polling will be from 7 am to 6 pm. Chief Electoral officer HR Srinivasa said polling will be completed before 6 pm in naxal affected areas. Out of 71 constituencies, 35 are in naxal-hit areas. Polling will be upto 3 pm in four naxal affected constituencies of Chainpur, Nabinagar, Kutumba and Rafiganj. While in other five naxal affected constituencies polling will be upto 5 pm. In the remainign 26 naxal hit constituencies, polling will be upto 4 pm.
Central para military forces have been deployed at all booths. Additional security forces have been deployed in naxal infested areas to ensure free and fair polling. Helicopters have also been pressed into service for air patrolling to avert any untoward incident. Combing operation has also been launched in naxal affected areas.
Over 2.14 crore electorates will decide fate of 1066 candidates. Fate of 8 cabinet ministers Prem Kumar, Ram Narayan Mandal, Jai Kumar Singh, Krishna Nandan Verma, Shailesh Kumar, Santosh Kumar Nirala, Vijay Kumar Sinha and Brij Kishore Bind will be decided in this phase.
BJP is contesting 29 seats, JD(U) 35 and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) from six constituencies. The Vikas Sheel Insaan Party (VIP) has fielded one candidate.
RJD is contesting from 42 seats, while Congress has fielded 21 candidates. The CPI-ML has 8 candidates in fray. LJP is contesting from 42, RLSP 43 and BSP from 27 seats.
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