SEC makes security bandobast for 1st phase panchayat polls

State Election Commission has made security arrangements for a peaceful, free and fair panchayat polls in Bihar, whose first phase is scheduled for tomorrow.
Voting will begin at 7 am in 12568 polling stations 60 blocks of 38 districts where 61,25,167 voters, 32,62,395 of them women, would exercise their franchise, SEC Secretary Durgesh Nandan said.
"All the polling stations would be manned by armed forces tomorrow. Besides, 3607 flying squads magistrates have been deployed," he said adding observers have been appointed in the blocks going to polls in the first phase.
Voters would elect 124 zilla parishad members, 1247 panchayat samiti members, mukhiya and sarpanchs in 906 gram panchayats, 12371 members of gram panchayats and 12371 members of gram kutchery.

Polling would be held from 7 am to 5 pm except in naxal affected areas where polling would come to an end at 3pm, he said.
Danapur and Maner blocks of the state capital would go to polls in the first phase where six polling stations would be model women's polling stations and would have women presiding officers, polling officers, flying squad, Patna district magistrate Sanjay Kumar Agarwal said.

These polling stations have been decorated in pink as a mark of women's empowerment, he added.
The 10 phase three-tier panchayat poll is being held to elect a total of 1161 members of zilla parishads, 11496 members of panchayat samitis, mukhiyas and sarpanchs in 8392 gram panchayats and 114733 members each in gram panchayat and gram Kutcheries.

The 10 phase polling would be held on April 24 and April 28, May 2, 6, 10, 14, 18, 22, 26 and 30.
SEC has established a control room which would be functional on polling days from 6 am to 10 pm. Persons having grievances and complaints can inform the Commission over phone, fax and e-mail.