Bihar balloting picks up amid incidents of violence

"Maoists blasted school in Lakhisarai to create panic in neighbouring Jamui parliamentary constituency," a district police official said.

Bihar Chief Secretary A.K. Sinha said a total of 46,000 security personnel, including 22,000 home guards, 74 companies of Bihar Military Police and 163 companies of central para-military forces, have been deployed on election duty.

Sinha said three army helicopters at the disposal of the state government are being used in air surveillance of Maoist-affected areas.

Prominent candidates in the fray are: Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar for Sasaram seat, Bihar assembly Speaker Uday Narain Choudhary from Jamui, former Kerala governor and Delhi Police chief Nikhil Kumar from Aurangabad, actor-turned politician Chirag Paswan from Jamui, and former union minister Kanti Singh from Karakat.