CEC in Patna to review poll preparations

Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi, accompanied by two election commissioners, arrived here on Sunday on a two-day visit to review preparations for the fourth and fifth phases of the Bihar assembly polls, an official said.

"... Zaidi held discussions with representatives of various political parties and officials on election preparedness in the constituencies going to the polls in the fourth and fifth phases," R. Lakshmanan, Bihar's Additional Chief Electoral Officer, said.

Zaidi will also hold discussions with top officials, including chief electoral officer, other election department officials and district-level officials, to know about the elaborate security plans for the polls, he said.

Zaidi would also visit Muzaffarpur, around 70 km from here, on Monday.

According to officials, Zaidi has expressed satisfaction over free, fair and peaceful conduct of two of the five phases of the polls.

Voting for the third phase would be held on October 28.

The polls to the 243-member assembly is scheduled to take place in five phases between October 12 and November 5, with the counting of votes to be held on November 8.