EC notification for Assembly polls in Bihar, Manipur issued

Two nominations were filed from Masaurhi in Bihar on the opening day. Official sources at Imphal said reports of filing of nominations on the first day were yet to reach the state headquarters.

Another eastern state, the coastal Orissa will also go to the polls in two phases on February 17 and 22. Haryana will have Assembly poll on February 22.

The sources said a total of 136 constituencies would be involved in the first phase of polling in the two states – 108 in Bihar and 28 in Manipur.

The notification for the other two phases of polling in the remaining 216 seats in Bihar would be issued on January 24 and 27.

For the second and final phase of polling in the remaining 32 seats in Manipur, notification would be issued on January 27.

State election office sources at Patna said about 20 million voters would exercise their franchise in each phase in about 87,000 polling stations 60 per cent of which had been identified as sensitive and hyper sensitive.

Filing of nominations for the first phase in Bihar would end on January 24. Scrutiny takes place the next day while January 27 is the last date for withdrawal of nominations.

Chief electoral officer of Manipur D S Poonia told UNI at Imphal that nominations for the first phase of polling in 28 constituencies would be accepted till January 24.

He said in view of the disturbed situation in the state an additional 11 officers had been designated assistant returning officers for nine Assembly constituencies for hill districts. Sources in Patna said training programme for the officials would begin soon.