Bihar elections: ECI holds Observers' briefing ahead of 'world's largest' polls amid COVID

As the Bihar assembly election is just around the corner, Election Commission of India on Monday organised a Briefing meeting for Observers who would be deployed in conducting the assembly election. The meeting was a virtual cum physical gathering which saw the participation of more than 700 General, Police and Expenditure Observers joining virtually from 119 locations across the country, while 40 observers participated in person, who were posted in Delhi.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora explained the impact of COVID-19 on election schedules around the world while elaborating on the assessments done by ECI before deciding to go ahead with the Bihar election.

He also said this election holds prominence as it will be watched by the entire world for being the largest election to be held amid COVID-19 pandemic and hence he urged the Observers to be extra careful and take utmost precautions.

He also urged the Observers to take all the efforts to instil confidence in the voters to come to the polling station on election day to cast their vote safely and freely for which the Observers will have to assume the role of a friend, philosopher and guide to the local election machinery in order to guide them and help resolve their issues.

The ECI announced the Bihar election schedule on September 25. The polling for the 243-member legislative assembly will be held in three phases. The first phase will be held on October 28, Second on November 3 and the third on November 7, while the counting of votes and results declaration will be held on November 10. The Model Code of Conduct has been in effect since the announcement of election dates.

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NDA vs the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar elections

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who leads a coalition with the BJP, will fight for a fourth term in these elections, with the opposition RJD and the Congress challenging him. The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) includes Janata Dal-United (JDU), BJP, Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha. However, owing to differences with JDU, LJP has decided to contest the elections independently contending that a BJP-LJP government will be formed in Bihar.

In the 243-member assembly seat, NDA currently has 131, and Mahagathbandhan has 101 seats (11 seats are vacant). In the 2015 assembly polls, CM Nitish Kumar's JDU, then a part of the Mahagathbandhan won 71 seats, Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD won 80 seats, and Congress won 27 seats. The BJP which fought the elections alone after Kumar in 2013 broke the 17-year-old alliance won a mere 53 seats out of 157 contested. However, the saffron party came back to power when Kumar ditched the Mahagathbandhan and once again stitched an alliance with the BJP.

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