Bihar elections likely to be held in 5 or 6 phases

HOME MINISTRY officials have also assured that all necessary security and health arrangements would be made if Election Commission decides to go ahead with the November elections.

Bihar Assembly elections could be held in five or six phases in November and the Home Ministry is likely to deploy 500-600 companies, roughly 60,000 personnel, of central para military forces for the same. Ministry officials claim they were going ahead with all necessary arrangements anticipating the polls would be held on schedule.

Home Ministry officials claimed that though finalising the poll schedule was the prerogative of the Election Commission, the Centre was going ahead with all security and other necessary arrangements anticipating that Bihar Assembly elections will be held as per the schedule, which is in first week of November.

While the 2015 Bihar elections were also held in five phases, this time in view of the Corona pandemic, it is believed that the polling would be completed in six phases or maybe even another addition round.

Another big challenge, sources added, this time during elections would be to ensure proper health protocols during both polling and counting in view of the Corona scare. Home Ministry, sources said, will soon hold detailed discussion with the Election Commission, Health

Ministry and other agencies concerned to draw a detail blueprint for the health precautions that would be taken during the elections.

Bihar has seen a sharp increase in number of Corona cases while a large parts of the state have also witnessed heavy rainfall leading to floods. Thus, some regional parties like the RJD and the LJP had approached the Election Commission with a plea to postpone the elections.

However, indications are that the poll panel was likely to go ahead with the elections as per the original schedule. Home Ministry officials have also assured that all necessary security and health arrangements would be made if Election Commission decides to go ahead with the November elections.