A delegation from the Election Commission of India (ECI), headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, has arrived in Patna to assess the readiness for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. The delegation, which includes Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, is on a two-day visit to the state to review poll preparations.
The ECI's visit is considered the final step before the announcement of the election dates. The Bihar Assembly's term is set to end on November 22, and the elections are anticipated to be held in multiple phases in late October and November.
During their two-day stay, the commission is scheduled to meet with representatives from various political parties to discuss their suggestions and expectations for the elections. Following this, meetings are planned with administrative and police officials, including divisional commissioners, Inspectors General (IGs), Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs), District Magistrates (who also serve as District Election Officers), and district police chiefs, to evaluate administrative and law and order arrangements.
The Election Commission will also convene with nodal officers from different enforcement agencies to ensure the elections are conducted in a free and fair manner. Discussions will focus on preventing the flow of black money, illegal transportation of alcohol and narcotics, and reviewing enforcement actions during the election period. Further meetings are scheduled with the Chief Electoral Officer, state police nodal officers, and nodal officers from the Central Armed Police Forces. The ECI will also meet with the state's Chief Secretary, Director General of Police (DGP), and other senior officials to review election-related coordination at the state level. The commission is expected to hold a press conference to share their observations on the election preparations in Bihar.
Prior to the visit, the commission held a briefing session in New Delhi for over 400 central observers who will be deployed for the Bihar elections and several by-elections across the country. CEC Gyanesh Kumar referred to the observers as "beacons of democracy," emphasizing their crucial role in ensuring the integrity of the election process. The observers, including IAS, IPS, and other service officers, are tasked with providing direct field inputs, ensuring strict adherence to the ECI's guidelines, and overseeing the overall management of the election process, including law and order and voter facilitation. They are also instructed to remain accessible to political parties, candidates, and voters to address grievances promptly and impartially.
The Election Commission has emphasized its commitment to conducting the Bihar Assembly elections in an independent, impartial, peaceful, and transparent manner. As part of these efforts, the commission recently concluded a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voters' list in Bihar, publishing the final electoral roll on September 30, which includes nearly 7.42 crore electors. The revision, conducted after a gap of over two decades, faced criticism from opposition parties who claimed it could disenfranchise genuine citizens. However, the ECI has asserted that no eligible citizen will be excluded from the voters' list, and no ineligible person will be included.
