Patna, Oct 10
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday issued a notification for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections, setting in motion the process of nomination filing by contesting candidates for the 121 Assembly constituencies, slated for voting in the first round.
The notification, issued by the Bihar Governor under Section 15(2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, has laid down clear guidelines for filing of nominations, their scrutiny, and also timing for polling in the respective constituencies, headed to polls in the first phase.
The candidates can file their nomination papers till October 17 (Friday), the scrutiny will be held the next day, and the candidates who want to withdraw their nominations, for whatever reasons, can do so by October 20.
The poll panel has also issued strict instructions for tight security around the nomination centres. Gathering of people and supporters will be prohibited outside the centres, while those accompanying the candidate during nomination filing have been capped at five persons, including himself/herself. The entire nomination process will be recorded on camera.
The ECI has also deployed about 8,50,000 officials across the state to ensure the smooth conduct of the elections. According to the Commission, these officials include 4,53,000 polling personnel, 2,50,000 police personnel, over 28,000 counting personnel, and 18,000 micro-observers.
In the first phase, polling will be held on November 6 and will comprise districts in North and South Bihar, including Patna, Darbhanga, Madhepura, Saharsa, Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, Siwan, Saran, Vaishali, Samastipur, Begusarai, Lakhisarai, Munger, Sheikhpura, Nalanda, Buxar, and Bhojpur.
Voting will take place in these constituencies from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Assembly elections in the state are being held in two phases. Polling for the second phase will take place on November 11, while counting of votes will be held on November 14.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good to see strict COVID protocols being followed during nomination process. Recording everything on camera will bring more transparency. Hope the candidates focus on real issues like employment and education.
Impressive deployment of 8.5 lakh officials! Shows the scale of Indian elections. The two-phase polling should help manage logistics better. Hope for peaceful and fair elections in Bihar.
As a voter from Patna, I'm happy the process is starting. But I wish the Election Commission would also focus more on curbing money power and fake promises during campaigns. That's the real challenge!
Good to see detailed planning by ECI. The 13-hour voting time (7 AM to 6 PM) is convenient for working people. Hope the counting on Nov 14 brings a stable government for Bihar's development.
The timeline is well-planned - nominations till Oct 17, scrutiny next day, and withdrawal by Oct 20. This gives enough time for proper verification. Indian election machinery is truly remarkable! 🇮🇳
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