Bihar Election In Two Phases After Chhath Puja
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said Bihar will go to the polls in two phases on November 6 and 11. Results will be announced on November 14.
Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday announced the dates for the much-awaited Bihar Assembly elections. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, addressing a press conference, said the state will go to the polls in two phases on November 6 and 11. Results will be announced on November 14.
"The Election Commission wants to tell voters of Bihar that we will ensure elections are conducted transparently while maintaining law and order. The total number of electors is 7.43 crore, including around 14 lakh first-time voters," said the Chief Election Commissioner. The term of the 243-member Bihar Assembly will end on November 22, making the poll panel's announcement crucial for the smooth transition of power.
Accepting the request of several political parties, the poll panel kept the election schedule after completion of the Chhath Puja, the most popular festival of Bihar, which falls later this month.
The first phase of polling on November 6 will cover 121 constituencies in central Bihar, including flood-prone and rural areas. The second phase on November 11 will see voting in 122 constituencies in border regions.
The Chief Election Commissioner announced several firsts for the Bihar Assembly elections. For the first time, EVM ballots will display candidates' photographs in colour and with larger fonts, replacing the standard black-and-white images. Booth-level officials will carry official ID cards to make them easier to identify. Voters will need to deposit mobile phones outside polling booths, and all stations will be under full webcasting coverage to enhance transparency.
In the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, the NDA coalition -- comprising JD(U), BJP, HAM(S), and VIP -- clinched 125 of the 243 seats, just enough for a majority. The BJP led the pack with 74 seats, JD(U) took 43, while HAM(S) and VIP managed four each. On the other side, the Mahagathbandhan, spearheaded by the RJD, won 110 seats, with the RJD bagging 75, Congress 19, and the Left parties 16.
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