Patna, Nov 5: The stage is set for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections, scheduled to take place tomorrow across 121 constituencies in 18 districts, officials said on Wednesday. Key regions include Patna, Vaishali, Nalanda, Bhojpur, Munger, Saran, Siwan, Begusarai, Gopalganj, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Madhepura, and Saharsa.

Polling will begin at 7 AM and continue until 6 PM. However, due to security concerns, voting will conclude an hour earlier—at 5 PM—in Simri Bakhtiyarpur, Mahishi, Tarapur, Munger, Jamalpur, and 56 booths of the Suryagarha Assembly segment.

Robust Security Measures

To ensure free, fair, and peaceful polling, elaborate security arrangements have been put in place. Central Armed Police Forces and state police personnel have been deployed across all 45,341 polling stations. A state-of-the-art Command and Control Centre will monitor the entire process through live webcasting.

Inclusive and Empowered Voting

In a move to promote inclusivity, 926 booths will be managed entirely by women, while 107 booths will be operated by Divyangjan (specially-abled) personnel. Additionally, 320 model booths have been set up with enhanced voter facilities.

Voter Support and Complaint Channels

A special control room has been established at the Chief Electoral Officer’s office in Patna. Voters can lodge complaints via phone (0612-2824001), fax (0612-2215611), or email (ceo_bihar@eci.gov.in and ceobihar@gmail.com). Mobile deposit facilities and other voter-centric services will also be available.