Lack of CPMF forces postponement of Panchayat polls in Bihar

Patna, Apr 25 (UNI) The Panchayat election in Bihar has been postponed by nearly 15 days due to unavailability of adequate Central Para Military Forces(CPMFs).

Secretary to the state electoral officer Raghubansh Kumar Sinha said here that sufficient number of CPMF jawans would arrive in Bihar by May 13-14 and the first phase of the polls would be held around May 17-18. He said the Panchayat election would be held in 10 phases and the entire process was likely to be completed by June 10-15. He said that final dates would be decided soon.

During the last Panchayat election in 2001, Bihar had witnessed largescale violence which claimed many lives, necessitating the need for deployment of armed forces.

This year pre poll violence had claimed nearly 50 lives so far.

A candidate for the post of district board chairman and six of his supporters were shot dead by CPI (Maoist) rebels at Debjara village under Madanpur police station area in Aurangabad district last night.

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