Bihar poll timings changed after Maoist attack

The Maoist landmine attack that killed 6 securitymen on Friday night amidst the on-going Assembly elections in Bihar has resulted in the timings to be changed for the second phase of voting on Sunday.

45 seats of the Assembly, including the Maoist-infested Sheohar district where four Special Auxiliary Police (SAP) personnel and two Bihar police inspectors were killed on Friday night, go for polls on Sunday.

The Election Commission has decided for the elections in the Shehoar, along with four Maoist-hit constituencies of Belsand, Minapur, Paroo and Sahebgunj, to be held between 7:00 AM and 3:00 PM on Sunday, reports said.

While the ruling Janta Dal – United (JDU) is contesting 28 of the seats, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in 34 constituencies, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 17 seats, the Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will be fighting it out in all the 45 seats.

Security has been beefed up ahead of the polls and according to the Police, the killed security personnel were returning to their base late from a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp Friday after inspecting security arrangements for the elections.

Bihar Assistant Director General of Police P K Thakur on Friday said that the attack took place near a culvert close to the Shaympur Bhitta Police Station area of the Sheohar district.

While the attack could have been a retaliation of the intense combing operations by the forces, security forces are not backing down as a top police official in Saturday informed that the borders with Nepal were being sealed off and air surveillance and ground patrolling had been stepped up.