Bihar gears up for 10-phase panchayat elections

Patna, May 2 (UNI) Panchayat elections in Bihar will be held in 10 phases from May 15 to June 11. A decision to this effect was taken at a high level meeting attended by Chief Secretary G S Kang and state Electoral Officer D P Maheshwari.

Director General of Police Ashish Ranjan Sinha, Home Secretary Afzal Amanullah, Director General(Home Guards), all zonal IGs, DIGs, Divisional Commissioners and DMs also attended the meeting.

Official sources said the first phase would be held on May 15, second phase on May 18, third on May 21, fourth on May 24, fifth on May 27, sixth phase on May 30, seventh on June 2, eighth on June 5, ninth on June 8 and 10th phase on June 11.

Meahwhile, Mr Raghubansh Kumar Sinha, secretary to State Electoral Officer, said all polling stations would be manned by jawans of Central Para Military Forces, district armed police and home guards.

Earlier, panchayat election was deferred by 15 days due to unavailibility of adequate number of central para military forces.

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