Panchayat polls in Bihar begin today

A total of 14,000 people have been deployed on polling duty at 2,119 polling stations where both EVMs ( electronic voting machines) and ballot papers would be used for voting, officials involved in the exercise said.

The 11-phase panchayat elections in Bihar will begin on Friday, when polling for 4,647 posts will be held in 12 blocks spread over 10 districts in the state in the first phase amid tight security.

Vehicles parked at Jagdev Memorial College (converted into election cluster) on the eve of the first phase of Bihar Panchayat Elections, 2021, at Kudra block of Kaimur district on Thursday. (PTI)

A total of 14,000 people have been deployed on polling duty at 2,119 polling stations where both EVMs ( electronic voting machines) and ballot papers would be used for voting, officials involved in the exercise said.

“So far, 362 illegal arms and 1,606 cartridges have been seized from anti-socials in the ongoing pre-poll checking drives by the police,” a press release issued by the State Election Commission (SEC) on Thursday said.

“Moreover, 12,065 illegal liquor manufacturing units have been destroyed in different districts while 5,46,143 litres of illicit liquor has been seized,” the release said.

This time, the SEC has made arrangements for webcasting polling at sensitive and super sensitive booths and has also set up state level control room where any complaint about poll malpractices or other discrepancies could be lodged by dialling 18003457243.

Besides, the voters this time would be verified through biometric machines at the booths so that there is no bogus voting.