EC to announce Bihar poll dates

The Election Commission (EC) is likely to announce the dates for Bihar assembly polls on Wednesday (September 9). The term of the 243-member Bihar assembly comes to an end on November 29. TV reports say that the Bihar polls may be held in five or six phases and are likely to be held from the third week of October to the first week of November. All political parties in Bihar have demanded CRPF, CISF and BSF forces for the polls. At least 85 to 100 assembly segments are categorised as left-wing extremist areas and securing these segments is priority on the agenda. After ruling the state for ten years, chief minister Nitish Kumar is seeking a third term this time in alliance with Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress after he walked out of NDA in June, 2013 snapping 17-year-old ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party.