3 seats in Bihar go for polls tomorrow amid heavy security

 Heavy security arrangements, including aerial patrolling in naxal-affected areas, will mark the final round of polling tomorrow in three of the 40 Lok Sabha seats of Bihar which will see RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Bollywood actor Shatrughan Sinha test their electoral mettle.     

A little over 48.92 lakh voters will be eligible to cast their votes for 57 candidates, including four women, who are in fray from Pataliputra, Patna Saheb and Nalanda.     

Regular forces, including the Central Para Military Force (CPMF), Bihar Military Police (BMP) and District Armed Police (DAP) will man the polling stations, Additional Director General of Police (Headquarters) Neelmani said here.     

Prominent among whose fate will be decided in the final round include that of Lalu Prasad (Pataliputra), BJP's Shatrughan Sinha and 'Polkhol' fame TV star Shekhar Suman of the Congress (Patna Saheb).     

Election office sources said, the voting time for Islampur and Hilsa assembly segments in Nalanda constituency and Masaurhi and Paliganj of Pataliputra had been reduced by two hours due to threat from CPI (Maoist) rebels, who have given a poll boycott call. Balloting in these assembly segments will begin at 7 am and will conclude at 3 pm, while elsewhere it will end at 5 pm.

 There will be aerial patrolling in naxal-affected areas, besides having mounted police and security personnel on motorboats in riverine areas to prevent any attempt of poll malpractices, Neelmani said, adding the borders of Patna district with Saran, Vaishali and Bhojpur have been sealed and police will patrol the streets on motorbikes.     

The authorities will also have dedicated telephone numbers of control rooms for each assembly seat, the ADGP said, adding it has been decided to have static regular forces at polling booths besides engaging them for patrolling duty.     

Digital cameras will be installed to keep a tab on the trouble makers and micro observers will also be deployed.He said ORS, bandage and Paracetamol tablets will comprise the first-aid kit to be provided to all the presiding officers