EC held COVID-safe elections in Bihar; now preparing for polls next year: CEC Sunil Arora

Election Commission successfully held assembly polls in Bihar, one of India's most populous states despite COVID-19 pandemic and is w preparing to conduct polls in states and union territories as per schedule next year, its chief Sunil Arora said summing up 2020.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) pointed out that exercise involved nearly 7.3 crore voters and over 1.06 lakh polling stations.

"We were able to conduct a COVID-safe election, with a voter turut of 57.34 per cent, which was higher than 56.8 per cent turut recorded during previous election in 2015," Arora told PTI.

This was also an election marked by enthusiastic participation of women voters, who outnumbered men at polling booths, he said.

facility of postal ballots was extended to citizens above of 80 years and persons with disability. Besides this, EC also conducted elections across several states for Rajya Sabha seats, and by-elections for nearly 60 legislative assembly constituencies, he observed.

"All this was me possible through zeal, commitment and dedication of lakhs of officials, security personnel, civil society organisations and individuals, and support of all stakeholders, including political parties, and above all, voters mselves," he said.

"As I have alrey mentioned, it was a leap of faith for Commission, and t a leap in dark," Arora said, referring to decision of holding polls as per schedule. Some political parties h earlier urged EC t to hold elections amid pandemic.

Bihar assembly elections were first full-fledged polls to be held amid coronavirus. Over 4 crore of total over 7 crore voters exercised ir franchise. To ensure distancing rms, EC restricted number of voters per polling station to 1,000 from 1,200. This led to increase in number of polling stations.

Similarly, in West Bengal, where elections are due along with Kerala, Tamil Nu, Assam and Puducherry next year, number of polling stations would go up by nearly 28,000.

Details of or poll-bound states are being worked out. In August, poll panel h come out with bro guidelines to hold polls amid coronavirus pandemic.

When campaigning was in full swing, it issued an visory for parties ting that COVID rms and health protocols were t being followed.

According to data me available by Election Commission here and office of Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar, 156 cases were registered against "organisers" of rallies and meetings of various leers and candidates for violating COVID-19 rms.

Cases were registered against organisers as y h sought permission to hold rallies or meetings in which following health guidelines was mandatory, explained an official. Ahe of three-phase elections, poll panel h me it clear that violation of COVID-19 guidelines during election period would be deemed as a violation of section 144 of CrPC.

Nearly 160 tonne of biomedical waste in form of gloves, face masks and empty sanitiser bottles used by polling personnel and voters was generated during Bihar assembly polls held amid COVID-19 pandemic.

poll authorities also relied on an inexpensive but effective techlogy used to track EVMs to ensure that waste reached public health centres for its onward journey to incinerator.

To ensure safety of voters, polling staff and security personnel, EC h procured 18 lakh face shields, 70 lakh face masks, 5.4 lakh single use rubber gloves for polling and security personnel and 7.21 crore 'one hand' single use polyne gloves for voters to press EVM button and sign register at polling stations.

This year also saw ar interesting development related to electoral reforms.

Following a Supreme Court direction in February, EC in March asked political parties to justify why y chose candidates with criminal history to contest elections.

Assembly elections in Bihar were first full-fledged polls where such details of ir candidates were me public by parties.

Out of a total of 1,197 candidates with criminal antecedents who contested recently-held Bihar assembly elections, 467 were fielded by recognised national and state parties, according to EC.

remaining 730 were eir fielded by registered but unrecognised parties or h contested polls as independents.

Meanwhile, EC has also proposed to government to extend Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) facility, so far available to service voters, to eligible overseas Indian voters.

In a letter to legislative secretary in Law Ministry on vember 27, Commission said with successful execution of ETPBS in case of service voters, it is w "confident" that facility can also be extended to overseas electors.

" Commission is technically and ministratively rey to extend this facility in general elections to legislative assemblies of Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nu and Puducherry," poll panel said.

But government is yet to take a decision on allowing use of postal ballots for eligible overseas Indians to cast ir votes as move will need wider consultations with all stakeholders before a final call is taken, according to sources.

y also said that Election Commission's proposal to amend election rules to allow use of postal ballot by overseas Indians, whose names figure in electoral rolls in India, is still at a bureaucratic level and is yet to be discussed with political executive. 

(Photo Credit: Twitter/CEOBihar)