Bihar polls: Election Commission team reaches Patna to review poll preparedness

Days before Bihar assembly polls, Chief Election Commission Sunil Arora and two Election Commissioners reached Patna on Tuesday on a three-day visit to review poll preparedness and hold meetings with state officials.  Bihar Assembly election will be held in 3 phases- October 28, vember 3 and vember 7. 

election commission team included EC Secretary-General Umesh Sinha and Deputy Election Commissioners Sudeep Jain, Chandra Bhushan Kumar along with CEC and two ECs Sushil Chandra and Rajiv Kumar. According to sources, ECI team will hold a meeting with chief electoral officer and dal officers.

EC team will also hold discussions with representatives of various political parties on September 30. Special arrangements to be made to ensure social distancing and adherence to health and safety protocols during campaigning as well as polling.

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Bihar Election dates anunced

Election Commission of India in a press conference last week anunced  schedule for Bihar assembly elections. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora said that polls for 243-member legislative assembly will be held in three phases. first phase will be held on October 28, Second on vember 3, and third on vember 7, while counting of votes and results declaration will be held on vember 10. Sunil Arora also informed that Model Code of Conduct will be in effect from Friday with anuncement of election dates.

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COVID protocol amid COVID

After anuncement of dates for assembly elections in Bihar, Election Commission of India has laid down guidelines for free, fair and safe elections amid COVID-19 pandemic. Among guidelines were regular mandatory protocols such as use of face masks at all times during election activity, rmal scanning of all persons to be carried out and sanitisers be made available at all locations. 

commission has revised rms and reduced number of persons accompanying candidate from 5 to 2, number of vehicles for purpose of minations restricted from 3 to 2. Election commission has also created a facility to file mination form and related affidavit online and same shall be taken in print and submitted to RO. For first time, security amount for contesting election can be deposited online by candidate.

Keeping containment guidelines in mind, commission has limited number of persons including candidate for a door-to-door campaign to 5.

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