New Delhi: The Election Commission of India today announced the dates of much awaited Bihar Assembly polls.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Nasim Zaidi, in a press conference held today, said the polls will be conducted in five phases starting October 12 and ending on November 5.
India TV was first to report the dates of polling, much before the official announcement.
The state will have a new Chief Minister by November 8, with the announcement of results.
The entire election process will be completed before November 12, said that CEC. The term of the 243-member Bihar Assembly comes to an end on November 29.
With this announcement, the Model Code of Conduct also comes into effect. It is worth a mention that, few hours before the announcement Bihar government accounted 6% increase in DA for the state government employees, similar on the lines of central government.
More than 6 crore electorate will decide the fate of Bihar assembly elections which seems to be a bipolar contest between PM Narendra Modi's charisma vs the newly formed "grand alliance" comprising of once foe turned friend, incumbent CM Nitish Kumar and scam tainted Lalu Prasad. It would be a test of Nitish's popularity in the state after partying ways with BJP, while for Lalu it could be a do or die battle.
For PM Modi, it could be litmus test for his 15 month governance in New Delhi.
Highlights:
* Counting of votes: November 8
* Polling dates: October 12, October 16, October 28, November 1 and November 5
* Upcoming Bihar polls will be conducted in 5 phases: CEC
* Model Code of Conduct will be enforced with immediate effect: CEC
* As per the law the exit poll will be prohibited from 1st day of poll to last day of the last phase: CEC
* Special component of Voter Education programme on ethical voting: CEC
* From today itself single window system will be operationalized: CEC
* Out of 243 Assembly constituencies, 47 are affected by left wing extremism, 29 districts out of 38 are covered under left wing extremism
* The ECI has ensured assessment of all vulnerable points where anti social elements have been recognised: CEC
* Steps taken to ensure weaker sections are able to cast their vote without fear, intimidation or threat from antisocial elements: CEC
* Commission attaches great importance to impartiality and neutrality of election process: CEC
* Committed to ensure conducive and peaceful atmosphere from standpoint of law and order: CEC
* Total of 6.68 crore electors for BiharElections: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Nasim Zaidi
The Election Commission officials yesterday met to discuss the dates and availability of security personnel.
Last week, the Election Commission had a detailed meeting with top Home Ministry officials on deployment of security forces during the polls.
Around 50,000 paramilitary personnel will be deployed for each phase to ensure peaceful balloting. Apart from the central forces, state police will also be deployed extensively during the elections.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and an alliance of the Janata Dal-United and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) that has the backing of the Congress will be the main contenders in the polls.
The BJP, which had almost swept the state in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls in alliance with Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP and Upendra Kushwaha's RLSP, is hoping to repeat its performance.
On the other hand, after ruling the state for 10 years, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is seeking a third term. He walked out of NDA in 2013 snapping 17-year-old ties with the BJP.
