Repoll ordered at five Asthawan booths

Repoll ordered at five Asthawan booths
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

PATNA, FEB 21: The Election Commission has ordered repoll at five polling centres in Bihar's Asthawan assembly constituency following reports of electoral malpractices on the day of bypoll, District Returning Officer Chanchal Kumar said.

Repoll would be held on Thursday in booth nos 71, 162, 197, 244 and 245 amidst tight security measures, Kumar said.

Altogether 18 contestants, including Satish Kumar (Samata), Kumar Pushpanjay (RJD) and Arun Kumar Singh (Lok Janshakti), were in the fray in Asthawan where bypoll was held on February 19 due to death of independent MLA, R P Sharma.

Kumar said EC ordered repoll in the eight booths after receiving complaints about poll malpractices there.

However RJD national spokesman, Shivanand Tiwari has "strongly" opposed the decision to hold repoll and charged Union Agriculture Minister Nitish Kumar with having influenced the authorities to issue repoll order.