BIHAR POLLS: Hold Assembly polls soon afterChhat in minimal phases: Parties to EC

 

 

POLITICAL parties in Bihar told the Election Commission on Saturday to hold Assembly elections “immediately after” the Chhat festival toensureincreased voter participation and in as few phases as possible,the poll body said. Chhat, an important festival in Bihar that is celebrated six days after Diwali, will fall on October 25-28 this year. Representatives of six nationalandasmanyStatepartiesinteracted with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar andElectionCommissionersS S Sandhu andVivek JoshiinPatna, officials said. The poll authority is in Patna for two days to take stock of poll preparedness in the state. The term of the 243-member Bihar Assembly ends on November 22. The first phase of elections is likely to be held at the end of October, soon after Chhat.

 

DuringDiwaliandChhat,people employed outside Bihar return home for festivities, and it is considered the best time to hold polls to ensure greater voter participation. “To maximise the participation of voters in the elections, political parties suggested that the elections be scheduled immediately after the Chhath festival and for the elections to be completed in as few phases as possible,” EC said in a statement. The parties, EC said, “thanked”it forsuccessfullycompleting the “historic” special intensive revision (SIR) exercise and“purifying” theelectoralrolls and reiterated their faith and trust in the electoral processes. The parties also appreciated the move to reduce the number ofvotersperpolling station from 1500 to 1200 as part of rationalisation. This will ensure less crowded polling stations onvoting day. After Bihar, the polling stationrationalisation exerciseis being held across all states. In2020, thelast assemblypolls in the state were held in three phases under the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Following theinteractionwith politicalparties,theCommission held a detailed review with administration and police officials on every aspect of election planning, EVM management, seizures, law and order, voter awareness and outreach activities. District officials concerned wereinstructed tomonitorsocial media for fake news and to respond swiftly with appropriate legal action, if required, the EC said. In Patna, Bihar Chief Minister NitishKumar’sJD(U)saiditurgedtheElectionCommission toconsider holding assembly polls “ina single phase”, citing the example of Maharashtra which has alargernumberofconstituencies.

 

“We urged the EC to holdassembly elections in a singlephase. It is possible. The state has nolaw and order problem, nor is itin the throes of Naxal violence.If elections could be held in a single phase in Maharashtra, whynot here?” JD(U) working president Sanjay Kumar Jha toldreporters after meeting the visiting EC team. TheBJPalsourged theElectionCommission tohold theupcoming Bihar Assembly elections inone or twophases, and to ensurethat women in burqas are properly verified against their voterID photographs at the pollingbooths.