New Delhi, September 3
Bihar would witness four-phase Assembly poll spread over a month, beginning October 18. This would be second time in less than a year, as the state had thrown up a fractured mandate, even as the petition challening the dissolution of the Assembly is pending in the Supreme Court.

Chief Election Commissioner B.B. Tandon today said the polling for the 243-member Bihar assembly would be held on October 18, 26, November 13 and 19. The counting of votes will be taken up on November 22 and the date before which election process shall be completed will be November 23.

Announcing the poll schedule, he said notification for the first phase would be issued on September 23 and for the other three phases on September 28, October 19 and 26.

The last date of nominations will be September 30, October 5, October 26, and November 2. Scrutiny will be done on October 1, 6, October 27, and November 3, respectively. Last dates for withdrawal are October 3, 8 and 29 and November 5.

While the entire Naxal belt would be covered in the first phase involving 11 districts and four constituencies of Patna, the second phase would have 69 constituencies in 11 districts.

The third phase, having 72 constituencies in North Bihar, is scheduled in such a way as to avoid threats from floods. The last and fourth phase is the smallest one and covers four districts and nine remaining constituencies of Patna, Mr Tandon said.

Mr Tandon said that the Model Code of Conduct comes into immediate effect.

Stating that as many as 76,471 non-bailable warrants (NBWs) including permanent warrants against proclaimed offenders and absconders were pending execution in the state as on August 31 this year, Mr Tandon said “We are really not happy with the situation”.