Extensive security arrangements made for Rajasthan bypolls: CEO

Extensive security arrangements have been made for the bypolls to Mandawa and Khivsar Assembly seats in Rajasthan on October 21, Chief Electoral Officer Anand Kumar said.

Sixty polling stations in Mandawa and 121 in Khivsar have been identified as sensitive. Eight companies central security force have been deployed in each of the poll-bound constituencies, he said.

Kumar said that 259 polling booths have been set up in Mandawa where 2,27,414 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise whereas in Khivsar, 2,50,155 people will cast their votes in 266 booths.

Polling will be held from 7 am to 6 pm and counting of votes will take place on October 24.

The bypolls were necessitated after Khinwsar MLA and Rashtriya Loktantrik Party leader Hanuman Beniwal and Mandava BJP MLA Narendra Kumar got elected to the Lok Sabha in May this year.

Of the 200 assembly seats in Rajasthan, the Congress has 106 MLAs, including the six who defected to the party from the BSP recently.