Lok Sabha elections 2019: 86 lakh to seal fate of 68 candidates in fray for five seats today

PATNA: The fate of altogether 68 candidates, who are in the fray for five parliamentary constituencies of the state, will get sealed in electronic voting machines (EVM) by 86.01 lakh electors during the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Thursday. Of the total enrolled voters, 40.79 lakh are women.
The constituencies going to the polls in Phase II are Kishanganj, Katihar, Purnia, Bhagalpur and Banka.Polling will begin at 7am and end at 6pm in 28 assembly segments of the five constituencies. It will, however, end at 4pm in the Maoist-infested Katoria and Belhar assembly segments of Banka.
While Kishanganj has 16.52 lakh voters with 102 urban and 1,524 rural polling stations, Katihar has 16.45 lakh electors with 193 urban and 1,474 rural stations. There are 17.53 lakh electors and 233 urban as well as 1,525 rural polling stations in Purnia, 18.11 lakh voters in Bhagalpur with 372 urban and 1,405 rural polling stations and 16.87 lakh voters in Banka with 84 urban and 1,732 rural polling stations.
The main candidates in the fray are Dr Mohammad Javed (Congress), Sayed Mahmood Ashraf (JD-U) and Akhtarul Imam (All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen) in Kishanganj, Tariq Anwar (Congress) and Dulalchand Goswami (JD-U) in Katihar, Uday Singh alias Pappu Singh (Congress) and Santosh Kumar Kushwaha (JD-U) in Purnia, Shailesh Kumar alias Bhulo Mandal (RJD) and Ajay Mandal (JD-U) in Bhagalpur and Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav (RJD), Giridhari Yadav (JD-U) and rebel BJP candidate Putul Kumari in Banka.
Additional chief electoral officer (ACEO) Sanjay Kumar Singh told TOI on Wednesday that most of these constituencies had observed high polling percentage during the last several elections. “We have made arrangements for plastic bags to carry polling equipment in case it rains,” Singh said.
Besides, as many as 17,000 paramilitary personnel from outside Bihar and 25,000 state police personnel will be deployed in all the five constituencies. “A Border Security Force chopper will be stationed in Bhagalpur and another helicopter of the Indian Air Force in Purnia. Like the first phase, an air ambulance will be stationed at the Patna airport in Phase II,” the ACEO said.
Altogether 2,575 micro observers will be deployed at more than 3,200 booths earmarked as vulnerable or critical in the five constituencies. Bhagalpur (770) and Katihar (600) will have the highest number of observers.
Singh said, “Webcasting of altogether 154 booths will also be done to ensure free and fair elections.”