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‘Preparations for Bihar assembly elections on time’: CEO

The Election Commission is preparing to hold assembly elections in Bihar on schedule amid the Covid-19 pandemic. “In 2015, the election was announced on September 9. So, we still have time. It is July only,” said Bihar chief electoral officer (CEO) HR Srinivasan.

Bihar is the only state that will go to polls this year in the midst of the pandemic. The state will also witness an election for eight Bihar Legislative Council seats for graduates and teachers’ constituencies. So far, no decision has been taken on them. The seats had fallen vacant in May.

The CEO categorically said that all preparations are going on to hold the polls this year as per the schedule. “It is the Election Commission that has to take a call,” he added.

He said that last month a meeting was held with all various political parties of the state on the mode of campaigning during the election amid the pandemic situation as it demands social distancing.

“Whatever suggestions came during the meeting with the political parties have been conveyed to the EC,” he added.

Chief election commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora had earlier said in an interview that all instructions and procedures regarding elections would be suitably modified to ensure smooth functioning during the pandemic and keeping the disaster management guidelines in mind.

“There is no plan so far to defer Bihar elections,” he had said.

The CEO had also said that the electronic voting machines (EVMs) and Voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPATs) had reached all the districts and the training of returning officers (ROs) would get underway from Thursday.

“The state-level training of master trainers concludes Wednesday. We are doing everything as per the schedule,” he added.

On whether any request had been received for delaying or postponing elections, Srinivasan said it had come from some individuals but not from any political party. “We have forwarded the suggestions received from individuals to the EC,” he added.

Though the Assembly election in Bihar is due in October-November this year, main political parties have already got their outreach programmes going through video conferencing and other available technological tools to reach out to the masses.

Regarding the elections for the eight seats of the Bihar Legislative Council, Srinivasan said the state government’s request regarding it had been forwarded to the EC.

Sources in the EC, however, said that holding elections in the state would be a big test for more reasons than one amid the pandemic. “Election is, after all, a mass contact programme and in a state like Bihar – with high population density and illiteracy – maintaining social distancing and avoiding personal contact programmes would be a big challenge. Therefore, the number of booths might be significantly increased and other measures will be adopted to reduce the chances of contact at polling booths,” they added.

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