Friday, October 28 2005 14:24 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Seven super-sensitive assembly constituencies of Bihar, where polling was deferred due to security reasons on October 26, will go to polls tomorrow (Oct 29, 2005) amidst unprecedented security arrangements.

Bihar Chief Electoral Officer N K Sinha said simultaneous repolling will also be held at 114 booths in Jamui assembly constituency, which went to the polls in the first of the four-phase elections on October 18.

Jamui constituency has been in the news in the recent days over the arrest and subsequent 'illegal release' of Vijay Prakash, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) nominee and brother of Union Minister of State for Water Resources Jaiprakash Narain Yadav from police custody.

A local court had issued non bailable arrest warrants against the minister, his brother and three others on Monday. Both Yadav and his brother have gone underground and a Jamui court yesterday dismissed the Union Minister's anticipatory bail prayer.

State Home Secretary H C Sirohi told sources that foolproof security arrangements had been made to conduct free and peaceful elections tomorrow. Sinha said 15,72,183 voters would exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 62 candidates in seven constituencies.

Prominent among them are former state ministers Ramnath Thakur Janata Dal (JD) United (U) and Ashok Singh Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) from Samastipur, former leader of the opposition in the state assembly Upendra Prasad Singh (JD-U) from Dalsinghsarai, state LJP parliamentary board chairman Satish Kumar from Surajgarha and RJD's Shanti Devi, mother of elusive Union Minister Jaiprakash Narain Yadav, from Kharagpur.

Sirohi said all polling stations would be manned by Central Para-Military Forces (CPMF), with over 13,000 officers and jawans standing guard at 1,725 booths. Two choppers of the Indian Air Force would maintain aerial surveillance, while speedboats would patrol the rivers.

Besides, mounted police force would be deployed in riverine areas to instil confidence among the voters, the home secretary said, adding the CPMF would be assisted by the district armed police. While RJD is contesting Samastipur, Sarairanjan, Dalisingsarai, Surajgarha and Kharagpur seats, its ally NCP has fielded its nominees for Kadwa and Barsoi.

JD(U) has put up candidates at Samastipur, Sarairanjan, Dalsingsarai and Kharagpur, while its partner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is contesting Surajgarha, Kadwa and Barsoi seats.

The LJP has fielded its nominees in Samastipur, Sarairanjan, Dalisingsarai, Kharagpur, Barsoi and Surajgarha and its electoral ally CPI at Kadwa.