The Hindu : Other States / Bihar News : EC deputes more observers for Madhepura

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Wednesday, May 05, 2004

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Other States - Bihar

EC deputes more observers for Madhepura

By K. Balchand

PATNA, MAY 4. Amid tight security within the State and along the Indo-Nepal border, 12 constituencies in the State go to the polls tomorrow.

All eyes are on Madhepura where the Rashtriya Janata Dal chief, Laloo Prasad Yadav, and the Janata Dal (United) leader and Union Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Sharad Yadav, face off.

Not wanting to be faced with the type of complaints received after the Chapra polling, where the RJD supremo had contested too, the Election Commission has deputed three additional observers to Madhepura.

There are now seven poll observers, including the Special Observer for Bihar, L.V. Saptarishi, who would be joining duty tomorrow.

There are now 21 companies of Central forces in Madhepura to ensure free, fair and peaceful polls. These include 10 additional companies of para-military forces, rushed to the constituency on the directives of the Commission.

On the orders of the Madhepura District Magistrate, the Lok Janshakti Party MP, Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, now in jail, hastily left the constituency last night.

He went there in connection with his production before the district court and decided to stay back till the reopening of the district court after the completion of the election process.

The Patna High Court had last week expressed its concern over the manner in which some of those in judicial custody violated the rules and conducted their election campaign from the jail premises. Pappu Yadav, supposed to be in the Patna Central Jail, in connection with the Ajit Sarkar murder case, spoke to the press.

As in Patna, he was admitted to the Sadar Hospital of Madhepura on the directive of the local court.

The district administration, however, after subjecting him to medical examination, sent him to Patna in the wake of complaints from the Opposition parties. Pappu Yadav's wife, Ranjita Ranjan, is contesting from the adjoining constituency of Saharsa, while he himself is contesting from Purnia, which has a border with Madhepura.

Meanwhile, the State Government has closed the Indo-Nepal border adjoining constituencies going to the polls tomorrow. It has also sealed its borders with West Bengal and Jharkhand for two days.

About 1.5 crore voters will exercise their franchise tomorrow to decide the fate of 133 candidates including the Union Textile Minister, Shanawaz Hussain, and the Union Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Digvijay Singh.

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EC deputes more observers for Madhepura