Amid sealing of Indo-Nepal and inter-state borders, besides shoot orders remaining in force, stage is set to hold polls in 11 out of 40 Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar in the third phase tomorrow.
"Indo-Nepal border along the constituencies of Supaul, Kishanganj and Araria, besides inter-state border with West Bengal along the constituencies of Purnia, Katihar and Kishanganj have been sealed where Central forces have been deployed to prevent entry of anti-socials into these constituencies to vitiate poll process," Additional Director General of Police (Headquarters) Neelmani said.
The shoot-at-sight orders would remain in force during the polling as usual in case the attempts by security personnel fail to chase away or capture the miscreants trying to disturb polling, Neelmani said.
Over 140 companies of Central para-military forces (CPMF) personnel apart from Bihar Military Police and District Armed Police (DAP) would be deployed, he said.
With the authorities facing challenges from criminals and smugglers, besides the Maoists who have given a call for boycotting the elections, mounted police force personnel in adequate numbers have been stationed in the riverine areas where ganglords till recently ruled the roost.
Also in the race are BJP's prominent Muslim face and former Union minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain (Bhagalpur) and Congress' Ranjeet Ranjan, sitting MP and wife of Pappu Yadav, from Supaul.
A little over 1.5 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise to choose their representatives from among 203 candidates including 12 women at 15,275 polling stations, election office sources said.
