Amid pandemic, EC prepares for Bihar assembly elections

POLITICAL PARTIES HAVE ALSO BEGUN TO GET READY FOR THE ELECTORAL BATTLE, THROUGH ONLINE RALLIES AND OUTREACH PROGRAMMES

nNEWDELHI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has begun preparations in the midst of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic to hold elections to the 243-member Bihar assembly due later this year , according to a person aware of the development.

The commission is, however, yet to take a call on whether to hold elections to fill 17 vacancies in the Bihar legislative council ahead of the assembly polls that have to be completed before the term of the House expires on November 29, the person added on condition of anonymity.

The commission is also yet to decide on dates for by-polls to 24 assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh caused by the resignation of 22 Congress MLAS who resigned form the party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), leading to the collapse of the Kamal Nath government, and the death of one legislator each from the Congress and the BJP.

The commission on Monday approved the holding of elections to fill 24 vacancies in the Rajya Sabha thatwere on account of the coronavirus disease pandemic. Last month, it allowed Maharashtra to hold elections to fill nine vacancies in the legislative council, the candidates, including chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, were elected unopposed, negating the need for an election.

“As of now nothing is confirmed, including the dates, but the process of assessing the preparedness, drafting electoral rolls etc has to be done,” the person quoted above said of the Bihar assembly elections.

On Tuesday the chief electoral officer of Bihar, HR Srinivas, met district officials to take stock of the state’s preparedness for the elections amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Work is going on in full swing,” Srinivas said when asked about preparations for the elections, adding that Election Commission officials will meet representatives of political parties over the next 10 days.

Political parties have also begun to great ready for the electoral battle, through online rallies and outreach programmes.

On the challenges that the Election Commission will confront in organising the elections, the person quoted in the first instance said, the primary concern will be ensuring sanitisation of the polling booths and safety of polling officials and the voters amid the coronavirus disease pandemic.

A former chief election commissioner (CEC) who did not wish to be named said the poll watchdog can borrow from the practices followed by South Korea that held elections in the middle of the pandemic on April 15.

“Now voters can use an app to tell them how long the queue at their polling station is so they can plan when to reach and cast their vote. South Korea has set an example by holding an election during the pandemic...so holding elections during the pandemic is doable,” the former CEC said.