Rs 122 cr earmarked to buy EVMs for local body polls in Bihar

Patna, March 3 (IANS) The Nitish Kumar government has allocated Rs 122 crore to purchase Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to conduct the local body elections in Bihar.The fund allocation was done during the cabinet meeting on Tuesday evening in Patna. The state government would purchase 90,000 ballot units and 15,000 control units with this money.Sources said the Election Commission will announce the dates of the civic elections soon. Officials believe that panchayat elections will be held in 10 phases.Officials said the state government has formed 300 urban local bodies which were earlier part of village panchayats. Besides, the Rural Development department is reorganising 200 village panchayats as well.The Nitish Kumar government has clarified that the rules pertaining to reserved seats are unchanged.
--IANS ajk/khz/bg