Early this month, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had announced that the process of setting up the ATS had begun.
The state cabinet approved a proposal to set up the ATS after the July 7 serial bomb blasts at the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya. Ten bombs had exploded at or in the vicinity of the temple, and two Buddhist monks were injured. Three live bombs were recovered and defused that day.
The Mahabodhi Temple - a Unesco World Heritage Site - is where the Buddha, born in neighbouring Nepal, attained enlightenment around 2,550 years ago.
On Oct 27, ahead of a rally to be addressed by Bharatiya Janata Party's prime minister candidate and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, blasts went off in the state capital, leaving seven dead, including a suspected bomber.