New Delhi: Elaborate polling arrangements are in place for first Phase of Assembly Elections in Bihar. 71 constituencies spread over 16 districts will go to polls in this phase tomorrow. This is the first election being conducted amid COVID pandemic.
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 screening of all persons will be carried out and sanitizers will be made available at all locations during polling.
All Polling Booths have been sanitized. Only 1,000 voters will exercise their franchise at each booth, instead of 1,500. Polling parties along with Electronic Voting Machines have been dispatched for their concerned polling stations. In Naxal-affected areas they have been instructed to reach the respective Polling Booths before sunset.
Polling will be from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Chief Electoral Officer H.R. Srinivasa said, out of 71 constituencies, 35 are in Naxal-affected areas where it will be held in the staggered manner. Polling will be upto 3 p.m. in four Naxal-affected constituencies of Chainpur, Nabinagar, Kutumba and Rafiganj while in other five Naxal-affected constituencies polling will be upto 5 p.m. In the remaining 26 Naxal-affected constituencies, polling will be upto 4 p.m.
Central Armed Police 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 1,066 candidates. Political fortunes of eight 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.
In NDA, BJP is contesting on 29 seats, JD(U) 35 and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) six seats. The Vikas Sheel Insaan Party (VIP) has fielded one candidate.
Among the Grand Alliance partners, RJD is contesting on 42 seats, while Congress has fielded 21 candidates. The CPI-ML has eight candidates in fray. Besides, LJP has fielded 42 candidates while RLSP on 43 and BSP on 27 seats.
Political fortunes of eight Cabinet Ministers including Prem Kumar, Ram Narayan Mandal and Jai Kumar Singh will be decided in this phase.
In NDA, BJP is contesting on 29 seats, JD(U) 35 and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) six seats. The Vikas Sheel Insaan Party (VIP) has fielded one candidate.
Among the Grand Alliance partners, RJD is contesting on 42 seats, while Congress has fielded 21 candidates.
The CPI-ML has eight candidates in fray. Besides this, LJP has fielded 42 candidates while RLSP on 43 and BSP on 27 seats.
