EC defers legislative council polls in UP, Bihar

NEWDELHI:The Election Commission (EC) has deferred elections for the legislative councils of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in view of the lockdown due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

The elections were to be held for eight legislative council seats in Bihar and 11 legislative council seats in UP.

In Bihar, four of the seats are in graduates’ constituencies, in that graduates of the particular constituency will be allowed to vote. The remaining four are in teachers’ constituencies, in that only full-time teachers in a particular constituency will be eligible to vote.

While the tenures of the incumbents only end on May 6, the EC, in a statement issued Friday, has stated that it requires at least four weeks, “subject to holidays, to complete the statutory activities, as prescribed in the Representation of the People Act.”

The EC statement points out that the electoral process involves the “movement and gathering of polling officials, agents of political parties, support officials and electors on the poll day, which may put public safety at risk and create public health hazard”.

Given the lockdown, the statement adds that “continuing with the electoral process in the current environment may not be feasible in view of the restrictions for the maintenance of public safety and avoiding health hazards”.

“Now, therefore, the Commission invoking its powers under Article 324 of the Constitution of India read with Section 16 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, hereby orders that the process of elections to the above-mentioned seats shall be initiated at a later date after reviewing the situation,” the statement concludes.

The Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council has 100 seats. At present, it has a strength of 99, while one seat is vacant. Bihar, on the other hand, has 75 seats.