Security beefed up for 3rd phase of Bihar panchayat polls

State Election Commission has made adequate security arrangements for the third phase of panchayat polls in Bihar.

Voting will begin at 7 AM in 62 blocks of 38 districts at 13,307 polling stations where 65,95,475 voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in the third round of polling, State Election Commission's (SEC) Secretary Durgesh Nandan said. "All the polling stations would be manned by armed forces in tomorrow's (May 2) polling. Besides, 3,997 patrolling magistrates have been assigned for the purpose," the SEC Secretary said, adding that observers have been appointed in the blocks going to polls in the third phase.

To ensure free, fair and peaceful polling, the SEC has further appointed 'observers' in all the 62 blocks which will go to polls tomorrow. In tomorrow's polling, votes would be cast to elect 129 members of Zila Parishad, 1,284 members of panchayat samities, Mukhiya and Sarpanch in 941 gram panchayats, 12,863 members of Gram Panchayat and 12,863 members of 'Gram Kutchery'.

Polling would be held from 7 AM to 5 PM except in Maoist-affected areas where voting would come to end at 3 or 4 PM, he said. The 10 phase three-tier panchayat polls are being held to elect a total of 1,161 members of Zila Parishad, 11,496 members of Panchayat Samities, Mukhiya and Sarpanch in 8,392 gram panchayats, 1,14,733 each members in Gram Panchayat and Gram Kutchery in the state.

The remaining eight phases would be held on May 2, 6, 10, 14, 18, 22, 26 and 30.