Bihar polling stations declared no-smoking zones

The Election Commission (EC) today declared all polling stations in Bihar as non-smoking zone under section 4 of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003 (COTPA).
Additional Chief Electoral Officer R Lakshmanan said, "Polling stations and booths will be no-smoking area. Anybody violating the order will be fined Rs 200. Directions in this regard have been issued to all district electoral officers."
Altogether 28 cases of violation of the model code of conduct for elections were registered across the state today. A majority of these cases pertain to defacement of public property.

Security forces in Bihar intensified their patrolling and checking to ensure smooth elections. They recovered three bombs, 10 firearms and 83 cartridges.
Talking about the EC efforts, Lakshmanan said, "The flying squads, static surveillance teams and police forces are conducting continuous raids to check undesirable elements and boost the confidence of voters. In this connection they have seized around Rs 51 lakh in cash, 39 firearms, 40 vehicles and various types of intoxicants in large quantity."
Altogether 202 FIRs have been registered in this connection and 46 persons have been arrested.