Indo-Nepal, inter-state border sealed off on eve of Bihar poll-Patna , October 20, 2010

Indo-Nepal, inter-state border sealed off on eve of Bihar poll

Press Trust Of India

Patna , October 20, 2010

First Published: 13:10 IST(20/10/2010)

Last Updated: 13:13 IST(20/10/2010)

Bihar's borders with Nepal and West Bengal have been sealed and security put on a high alert as the stage is set for the first phase of Assembly elections on Thursday in which 47 of 243 constituencies go to polls. Superintendent of Police of Madhubani district Ajitabh Kumar said Modhwapur, Khutauni, Fulparas and Laukaha areas in the district have been sealed off and watch was being kept by SSB and other security agencies on any possible movement of trouble-makers.

Similarly, a special watch is being kept in Supaul, Purnia, Kishanganj and Araria districts since this morning with specially-trained dogs mobilised for the purpose.

Director-General of Police Neelmani said that elaborate security arrangements have been made to ensure that the elections are free, fair and peaceful.

"We have adequate number of CPMFs and armed policemen from other states at our disposal to maintain security," Neelmani said.

Additional Chief Electoral Officer Kumar Anshumali told PTI, "Efforts have been made to man most of the polling centres with CPMF personnel. Also police patrolling between one polling station and another would be intensified."

For the first time, he said, the Election Commission has introduced live webcast of the voting process from 20 per cent of the booths directly to be monitored by the district election officers, the office of Chief Electoral Officer Sudhir Kumar Rakesh and the Election Commission in New Delhi.

The entire process of voting would be videographed, Anshumali said.

"Over 45,000 personnel of the Central paramilitary forces have been made available by the Centre for free, fair and peaceful polls," a senior official in the home department said.

The state government had demanded 600 companies of central paramilitary forces, but the Central government agreed to provide 450 companies for the six-phase polls, an official said. Each company comprises 100 personnel and the deployment would be made directly under the supervision of the Election Commission, officials said.