A day before voting begins in the poll-bound Bihar, the state was agog with the news of how hawala money has come to infiltrate the electoral process. The Election Commission on Sunday ordered Income Tax authorities in Bihar and Delhi to investigate the matter, and also directed all agencies to share intelligence in the matter.
According to the Commission in all Rs 19 crore unaccounted for money has been recovered so far in the polls which has come to be identified with high-pitch campaign and a media blitzkrieg by the two main contesting alliances, the BJP-led NDA and the ruling JD(U)-RJD alliance in the state.
After high pitched bitter campaigning which saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the rival camp led by Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad holding a string of rallies, the stage is set for voting in 49 seats of Bihar Assembly the first five-phase poll on Monday.
BSP, which does not have much influence in Bihar, has fielded a maximum of 41 candidates among the 49 seats.
BJP has fielded 27 candidates in the 49 seats followed by JD(U) 24, RJD 17, LJP 13, Congress 8 and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party 6 and Hindusthani <g data-gr-id="26">Awam</g> Morcha 3.
Left front is trying to make significant inroads in the poll on the basis of combined strength of six parties - CPI, CPI-M, CPI-ML, Forward Block, SUCI (C) and RSP. While CPI has fielded 25 candidates, CPI-M has fielded 12 in the first phase.
While in <g data-gr-id="31">majority</g> of seats polling would end at <g data-gr-id="32">5pm</g>, in some constituencies time has been cut short to 4 pm and 3 pm on the basis of law and order situation feedback in the Naxal-hit areas.
Out of a general electorate of 1,35,72,339 there are 72,37,253 men, 63,17,602 women and 405 of third gender.
There would be 80,000 to 90,000 polling personnel in 13,212 polling stations.
Every polling station would be manned by the Central Para Military Force, said EC officials adding drone and helicopter would also be put in service. Tight security arrangements have been put in place to ensure peaceful polling in the first phase.