Political parties in Bihar are advocating for the state's Assembly elections to be conducted promptly following the Chhath festival. This request was voiced during a meeting with the Election Commission of India (ECI) held on Saturday. Representatives from various national and state parties met with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners S S Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
Chhath, a significant festival in Bihar, is celebrated six days after Diwali. This year, the festivities will take place from October 25 to October 28. The rationale behind the parties' request is that many people who work outside Bihar return to their home state for Diwali and Chhath celebrations. Conducting the polls immediately after the festival would likely result in higher voter turnout.
In addition to the timing of the elections, several parties have also suggested that the ECI conduct the polls in as few phases as possible to ensure efficiency. Janata Dal (United) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha urged the ECI to conduct the election in a single phase, citing improvements in the law and order situation in Bihar. He stated that Bihar would demonstrate to the country how a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) should be conducted.
The ECI recently completed a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls. The final electoral roll for the Bihar assembly elections was released on September 30, showing 7.42 crore electors, compared to 7.89 crore electors recorded on June 24. According to an ECI press release, 65 lakh voters were removed from the draft list. The release detailed that 3.66 lakh ineligible voters were removed from the draft list, while 21.53 lakh eligible voters were added. The SIR was conducted in accordance with Article 326 of the Constitution and aligns with the ECI's principle of ensuring "no eligible voter to be left out, and no ineligible person to be included in the Electoral rolls". In Patna, over 1.63 lakh electors have been added across 14 assembly constituencies.
Other points raised during the meeting with the ECI included capping the number of voters per polling station at 1,200. Parties also lauded reforms related to postal ballot counting and the use of Form 17C. The BJP requested that agents collect Form 17C. JDU called for a single-phase election, stressing the improved law and order situation in Bihar. One party representative noted the issue of polling agents leaving early, which leads to accusations of foul play. They recommended holding elections immediately after the mandatory 28-day announcement period, "without any delay". The election commission is expected to announce the Bihar assembly election dates soon.
