The Election Commission has postponed the polls in Purnea, Bhagalpur, Rajmahal and Khagaria to October 28, by which time they hope the flood waters will recede.

Election Commission secretary K J Rao and the Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar, A K Basu, had made an aerial survey of Bihar, following which they reported to the Nirvachan Sadan headquarters about the flood situation in the 16 constituencies which were scheduled to go to polls in the last phase of polling on October 3.

Following incessant rains and floods in many parts of West Bengal, which also goes to the polls on October 3, the Chief Electoral Officer of the State conducted the aerial survey. As soon as the Commission receives his report, it will take a decision, by Friday at the latest, on whether or not to go ahead with the polls.

However, the postponement of the polls in the four constituencies ofBihar will not stop the Lok Sabha from being convened before October 21 as is constitutionally required, though it will lend an additional suspense to the attempts at Government formation.

Elections have also been postponed in the Kadwa and Manihari Assembly segments of Katihar Lok Sabha constituency to October 5, by which time the situation in these two places would be normal, the Commission said.

The Central paramilitary forces assigned to the four constituencies will now be redeployed to the remaining 12 constituencies where the polls will take place as scheduled on October 3.

With this change, some of the key constituencies like Madhepura, where RJD supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav is pitted against the JD(U) President Sharad Yadav, will have a full complement of force, including 100 per cent static force, outside polling booths.

The Commission had scheduled the elections in the 16 constituencies, which are located in major flood-prone districts of North Bihar, in the last phase as the monsoon getsover in the State by about mid-September.

But unprecedented late rains and huge discharge of river waters from Nepal have resulted in extensive floods along the Ganges, throwing the Commission's schedules completely out of gear.

Heavy rain accompanied by cyclonic winds have resulted in the disruption of roads, rail, electricity and telecommunications in many parts of Bihar. The picture conveyed by the Commission Secretary after his visit to the State resulted in the decision to postpone the polls.