M A I N   N E W S

EC removes DIG, IG for meeting Lalu Prasad
Ambarish dutta
Tribune News Service

Patna, October 17
In a major administrative move before the first phase of polling in the state tomorrow the Election Commission today removed DIG(CRPF), Patna Range, Alok Raj and IG (CRPF), Bihar, A.K. Chibber for meeting the RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav at his residence last night.

Talking to the media, the adviser to the Election Commission, Mr K.J. Rao, said, “They have been shifted because they held a secret meeting at someone’s residence yesterday”.

Mr Raj and Mr Chibber had visited Mr Yadav’s residence on the pretext of “inspecting the CRPF deployment at his residence in the city”.

Sources in the commission disclosed that even though they were empowered to inspect the CRPF posting anywhere, the commission took strong exception to their meeting with Mr Yadav at midnight, which was “unnatural”.

It was Mr K.J. Rao who recommended their transfer which was executed today.

By the time of the filing of this report, the Home Ministry had appointed Mr Subhash Goswami as IG (CRPF), Bihar Range, in place of Mr Chibber.

While Mr Yadav was not available for his comment on this development, the NDA chief ministerial candidate and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar welcomed the move by the Election Commission to ensure a free and fair poll in Bihar.

Meanwhile, amid unprecedented security arrangements, the stage is set for the first phase of polling in 57 of the 243 Assembly segments in 12 Naxal-dominated districts tomorrow, where nearly 1.2 crore voters will decide the fate of 541 candidates.

The DGP, Mr Ashish Ranja Sinha, said Indian Air Force choppers made an air surveillance in the Naxal-dominated areas today and the security forces had been provided with anti-mine devices and anti-mine vehicles.

State chief electoral officer N.K. Sinha said acting upon the instruction of the Election Commission, in the past three months the police had arrested 1.4 lakh trouble shooters including 5,000 hardcore criminals. “We have also seized 3,500 firearms and unearthed over 100 illegal arms factories,” he added.

First phase of polling today
Ambarish Dutta
Tribune News Service

Patna, October 17
He made it happen in the February Assembly poll and the electorate are confident that he will make it happen again.

As the state gears up for the first phase of the four-phased Assembly poll beginning tomorrow, it is the Election Commission adviser K.J.Rao and not the politicians who holds centrestage.

The electorate in general reposes more faith in Mr Rao than the promises made by the politicians to cast their franchise without the fear of violence.

For the people of Bihar, it was a memorable experience with a marked reduction in violence during the elections in February this year.

This time too, Mr Rao is equally strict. Yesterday itself an angry Mr Rao ordered reopening and resealing of 600 EVMs which were sealed on October 15 in the absence of designated officials. And this was just one example.

The deployment of 600 companies of central paramilitary forces, the Bihar Military Police and other forces speak volumes of the amount of preparedness on the part of the Election Commission for the polling to be held in 57 constituencies in 12 districts tomorrow.

There will be 1500 digital cameras in polling booths to prevent bogus voting.

Sources disclosed that the Election Commission is also at keeping its options open for a last-minute reshuffling of the deployment of central para military forces from one constituency to another to make the poll process as “fullprooof” as possible in terms of security.

Initially it was decided to hold the first phase of polling in 61 Assembly segments. But keeping in view the threats posed by the Naxalites in districts like Gaya, Jehanabad, Arwal, Kaimur and Nawada, which go to the polls tomorrow, the commission rescheduled the poling date in four Assembly segments of the Naxalite-dominated Gaya to October 21, leaving 57 constituencies for polling tomorrow.

State election officer N. K.Sinha warned that polling in any booth would be halted if there was inadequate deployment of security personnel. The CPI (Maoist), representing the MCC and the PWG, have given a poll boycott call to the electorate in some areas of Gaya, Jehanabad and adjacent areas. 

Lalu injured as dais collapses

Bhagalpur (Bihar), October 17
RJD supremo and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad today escaped with minor injuries when a portion of the dais at an election rally crumbled due to overcrowding at Sajangi ground here.

As Mr Prasad alighted from his helicopter and headed for the dais, a large number of slogan-shouting supporters led by the party candidate from Hulasganj, Mr Pappu Khan, rushed to the platform.

A portion of the dais crumbled as party supporters jostled with each other prompting Mr Pappu Khan and others to lend support to the RJD chief to prevent him from tripping, the police said.

Mr Prasad, who suffered bruises in his hands, left the venue after addressing the gathering. — PTI