Monday, April 24 2006 12:38 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Polling for by-election to the Patna (West) assembly constituency, where 433 out of 531 booths declared 'super-sensitive', began this morning amidst tight security.

Nearly 1000 personnel of CRPF, Bihar Military Police and the newly raised State Auxiliary Police have been deployed at 531 polling stations besides state police personnel, Senior Superintendent of Police Kundan Krishnan told.

The bypolls has been necessitated following the death of BJP MLA Navin Kishore Prasad Sinha, whose son Nitin Navin has been fielded by the saffron party.

Over 5.12 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise to choose their representative from a field of 13 candidates, including Navin and Congress party's Rana Ajay Singh. RJD and its allies CPI-M and NCP have extended support to the Congress nominee.

Of the 531 polling booths, 433 have been declared super-sensitive and the rest as sensitive. Digital cameras have been installed at a number of polling stations to check bogus voting, state election office sources said.

Though there is movement of private vehicles has not been banned, 34 check posts have been put up. All liquor vends have been closed as a precautionary measure.