Security arrangements have been tightened across Bihar for the second and final phase of the Assembly elections scheduled on Tuesday, with more than 4 lakh personnel deployed to ensure peaceful polling, officials said. Voting will be held at 45,399 polling stations, including 40,073 in rural areas, across 122 Assembly constituencies.
According to sources in the state police, there are around 8,491 critical polling station locations (PSLs) where security personnel will remain extra vigilant during the poll.
Around 500 companies (around 50,000 personnel) of the Central Armed Police Force had been engaged in pre-election duties in Bihar, and subsequently, 500 more companies of CAPF arrived in the State, he said. “More than 60,000 personnel of the Bihar Police have also been engaged in election duty,” a senior official said.
Around 2,000 personnel of reserve battalions from other States, 30,000 personnel of the Bihar Special Armed Police, more than 20,000 home guards, around 19,000 newly recruited constables (who are undergoing training), and nearly 1.5 lakh chowkidars (rural police) have also been engaged in the poll duty for both phases, he said.
Asked about the number of sensitive polling centres in the second phase, the officer said, “From a security point of view, all booths are equally important.”
“Gayaji has the highest number of critical PSLs at 1,084, followed by Aurangabad (942), Rohtas (827), Nawada (690), Banka (613), Bhagalpur (574), Bettiah (526), Araria (518), Supaul (406), Bagha (368), Jamui (357), Bhabhua (325), Arwal (315), Jehanabad (287), Madhubani (282), etc. “There are places where the number of critical PSLs are zero. These include Kishanganj, Purnea, Motihari and Sitamathi”, an official said. Besides, there are 13,651 hamlets in 122 seats which have been identified as ‘vulnerable’, the official added.
EC officials and security personnel are making special arrangements to ensure smooth voting in these vulnerable areas, he said.
Bihar recorded the “highest ever” voter turnout of over 65 per cent in the first phase of polling across 121 assembly constituencies on November 6.
