A staggering 381 candidates today filed their papers on the final day of nominations taking the total number of candidates in the fray to 629 for 49 assembly seats which goes to polls in the first phase on October 12, EC official said.
As many as 89 candidates filed their nomination papers for nine assembly seats in Samastipur district, while 58 nominations were filed for seven assembly seats in Bhagalpur district, the Additional Chief Electoral Officer (ACEO) R. Laxmanan said.
Begusarai recorded 39 nominations in seven assembly seats followed by 33 in Banka for five assembly seats, he said, adding that 31 nominations were filed for four assembly seats from Khagaria district.
There were 38 nominations filed in five assembly seats in Nawada district followed by 37 in four assembly constituencies of Jamui district, Laxmanan said.
In Sheikhpura district, 21 candidates filed nomination papers from two assembly seats, followed by 20 nominations in three assembly seats in Munger district and 15 nominations in two assembly seats in neighbouring Lakhisarai district, the ACEO said.
In all, 629 candidates have filed nomination papers for 49 assembly seats going to polls in the first phase on October 12, Laxmanan said adding that the scrutiny of papers will take place tomorrow and the last date for withdrawal of nominations has been fixed for September 26.
For the second phase of assembly polls in 32 seats for which voting will take place on October 16, 47 candidates filed their nomination papers, he said adding that notification had been issued two days back.
