Patna, Aug. 2: All arrangements have been completed for the counting of votes in the Bankipur Assembly by-election in Bihar, with results scheduled to be declared on Monday, August 3.

The bypoll, held on July 30, witnessed 25 candidates in the fray. Counting will take place at Kala Bhawan, AN College in Patna under elaborate security arrangements put in place by the district administration and the Election Commission.

Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have been secured under a three-layer security system. Twenty-five companies of central paramilitary forces, supported by personnel from the Bihar Special Armed Police (BSAP), have been deployed to safeguard the counting centre. Around 100 security personnel will be stationed in three shifts, with a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) supervising each shift.

Only authorised officials, counting staff, candidates and their accredited agents will be allowed inside the counting venue. The strong room housing the EVMs has remained under round-the-clock CCTV surveillance and will be opened in the presence of candidates and their representatives before counting begins.

Votes from 422 polling stations will be counted over 30 rounds across 14 tables. Around 50 counting personnel, along with reserve staff, have been assigned for the exercise. Counting will commence at 8 a.m. with postal ballots, followed by EVM counting after about 30 minutes. Initial trends are expected around noon, while the final results are likely by 4 p.m., subject to the pace of counting.

Candidates and their agents will receive QR code-based entry passes issued by Bankipur Returning Officer Raghavendra Pratap Singh. Entry and exit from the counting centre will be allowed only after QR code verification.

While 25 candidates are contesting the bypoll, the main electoral battle is widely seen as a three-cornered contest among the BJP, RJD and Jan Suraaj. Key contenders include BJP's Neeraj Kumar Sinha, RJD's Rekha Gupta and Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor, who is making his electoral debut.

Ahead of the counting, Kishor reiterated allegations of police excesses during the election campaign. Addressing a press conference on Sunday, he claimed that Jan Suraaj workers were detained at several locations, including Naubatpur, Fatuha and Kankarbagh, without valid reasons, with some detentions allegedly carried out by personnel in plain clothes.

He alleged that 18 people, including four from the Jakkanpur police station area, were detained. Kishor also referred to the detention of 90-year-old Feku Paswan, who was later released, while action continued against others.

Demanding an inquiry into the alleged detentions, Kishor said police should focus on controlling crime, corruption and maintaining law and order rather than taking actions that could influence the electoral process. He also sought disclosure of the legal basis for the detentions and details of any action taken against police personnel accused of wrongful detention.

With security arrangements in place and preparations complete, political attention is now firmly focused on the outcome of the closely watched Bankipur Assembly by-election.