Around 10.04 crore voters will be eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 568 candidates, including 58 women.
Multi-tier security has been put in place for the fourth phase of Assembly elections to 42 constituencies to be held in Bihar tomorrow.
Around 10.04 crore voters will be eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 568 candidates, including 58 women.
Prominent contestants include BJP stalwarts and ministers Ashwini Kumar Choubey (Bhagalpur), Nand Kishore Yadav (Patna Sahib), Ramnarayan Mandal (Banka), besides JD(U) minister Damodar Raut.
Senior IAS officer Afzal Amanullah's wife Parveen Amanullah is contesting on a JD(U) ticket from Sahebpur Kamal while LJP president Ramvilas Paswan's brother and state party president Pashupati Kumar Paras is contesting from Alauli, and deputy speaker of state assembly and RJD nominee Shakuni Choudhary is contesting from Tarapur.
While JD(U) is contesting from 25 seats, ally BJP is contesting in the remaining 17. RJD has fielded candidates in 26 and ally LJP in 16.
The Congress is contesting from all 42 constituencies while the BSP is in the fray from 40 seats. The CPI-ML (L) is contesting 15 seats, CPI (13) and CPI-M (six).
Of the 42 constituencies spread over eight districts, voting will be held in Alauli (SC), Suryagarha, Tarapur, Jamalpur, Katoria (SC), Belhar, Sinkandra (SC), Jamui, Jhajha and Chakair, declared 'Maoist-hit', between 7am and 3 pm.
"We have made multi-tier security arrangements for holding free, smooth, peaceful and fair polls," director general of police Neelmani said.
Borders with Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh have been sealed and close ground and air surveillance are being provided to prevent disturbances during the poll, he said.
Special Task Force (STF) commandos and senior police officials would maintain air surveillance while patrols would be intensified. Patrolling would also be introduced between one polling station to another, he said.
The Phoneline Tracking Machine and Google Earth Systems would be used for keeping a watch on the movement of ultras in forests and hills, he said, adding, most of the booths in Maoist-hit constituencies would be manned by the Central para-military forces and armed police personnel from other states.
The DGP said over 48,000 poll personnel would be engaged in tomorrow's exercise and preventive measures have been taken against 64,205 persons in Patna, Bhagalpur, Naugachia, Banka, Munger, Jamui, Lakhisarai, Shekhpura, Khagaria, and Begusarai.
Polling at several booths in these constituencies would be webcast by BSNL, enabling the district electoral officer, chief electoral officer in Patna and Election Commission in New Delhi to watch live footages of the polling process, state chief electoral officer SK Rakesh said.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}