EC discusses security arrangements with Pillai

Giving final touches to the preparations for Bihar Assembly polls, the Election Commission today discussed the security arrangements with Union Home Secretary G K Pillai in New Delhi.

Giving final touches to the preparations for Bihar Assembly polls, the Election Commission on Tuesday discussed the security arrangements with Union Home Secretary G K Pillai in New Delhi.

HT Image

Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi and Election Commissioner V S Sampath held detailed discussion with Pillai on the number of paramilitary forces required for conducting free and fair polls in the state.

The term of the 243-member Assembly will end on November 27.

The Commission has already visited the state to review the situation, including preparation of photo identity cards and revision of electoral roll.

This will be first election after Quraishi took over the key post from Navin Chawla recently.

The election is expected to be a triangular affair with the ruling JD(U)-BJP continuing their poll alliance and Lalu Prasad's RJD and Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP joining hands to oust it from power.

Overcoming last-minute hiccups, RJD and LJP have clinched an alliance and decided to contest 168 and 75 seats respectively.

The Congress has announced it would go it alone in the state, unlike in the past when it played a second fiddle to RJD.