Election Commision allows postal ballots to voters above 80 yrs in upcoming polls

Amid ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Election Commission on Thursday, has decided t to extend postal ballot facility to citizens above 65 years in upcoming Bihar state polls and or pending by-elections. However, EC will allow postal ballots for voters above 80 yrs, disabled, those engd in essential services and COVID positive patients in home or institutional quarantine, as per tification issued by EC. Currently, Bihar which has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases is under lockdown till July 31.

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Election commission: 'Postal ballots for 80+ voters'

EC stated that it has limited number of electors to 1000 for each polling station and has created 34,000 polling stations in Bihar for upcoming state polls, taking its tally to 1,06,000 booths in state. ditional booths pose a challenge of mobilising 1.8 lakh ditional polling officials, states EC. Hence, inspite do Health ministry guidelines issued for 'Protection of vulnerable persons', due to logistical constraints, EC has decided t to extend postal ballot facilities to electors above 65 years.

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Bihar assembly elections 

Bihar is going to polls in October-vember this year. As BJP lost in Delhi, all eyes are set on former party chief Amit Shah and Nitish Kumar -led JDU. While Kumar faces strong anti-incumbency, RJD - Bihar's main opposition has lost lusture it once h due to absence of it's chief Lalu Pras Yav.  Currently, JDU-BJP combination rules state with 131 seats, while RJD-Congress opposition has 111 seats.

However, RJD's Tejashwi Yav has been amplifying his attack against BJP government and has been portrayed as CM candidate of Mahagathbandhan. Meanwhile, former JDU vice president Prashant Kishor has also claimed that he is working at 'ground level' for development of Bihar.  In a twist of sorts, London-based Pushpam Priya Choudhary, daughter of JDU leer Bid Choudhary, on March 8 declared herself as Chief Ministerial candidate.

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2015 state polls

In 2015 assembly polls, CM Nitish Kumar's JDU, n a part of Mahagathbandhan won 71 seats, Lalu Pras Yav's RJD won 80 seats, and Congress won 27 seats. BJP which fought elections alone after Kumar in 2013 broke 17-year-old alliance won a mere 53 seats out of 157 contested. However, saffron party came back to power when Kumar ditched Mahagathbandhan and once again stitched an alliance with BJP.

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