The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday chaired a key meeting with representatives of several political parties in Bihar in view of the upcoming assembly elections in the state. During their interaction with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and Election Commissioners SS Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, the political parties kept several demands, but all agreed that the elections should be conducted in minimal phases and only after Chhath, which is an important festival in Bihar.
"The Political Parties thanked the Commission for successfully completing the historic Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise and purifying the electoral rolls and reiterated their faith and trust in the electoral processes. To maximise the participation of voters in the elections, Political Parties suggested that the elections be scheduled immediately after the Chhath festival and for the elections to be completed in as few phases as possible," the ECI said in a statement.
JD-U urges EC to hold polls in one phase
Following the meeting, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United (JD-U) said it has urged the poll body to ensure that elections are held in just one phase like 2024 Maharashtra polls. It must be noted that the previous elections in Bihar were held in three phases.
"We urged the EC to hold assembly elections in a single phase. It is possible. The state has no law and problem nor is it in throes of Naxal violence. If elections could be held in a single phase in Maharashtra, why not here?" JD-U working president Sanjay Kumar Jha said, while speaking to reporters in Patna.
BJP asks for verification of burqa-clad voters
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), an ally of the JD-U, also said that the elections should be held in one or two phases. It also urged the poll body to identify women turning up at booths in burqa. Speaking to reporters, BJP's Bihar unit chief Dilip Jaiswal said the saffron party has also demanded that adequate paramilitary forces should be deployed in villages "with a heavy population of weaker sections".
"We have urged the EC to conduct the elections in one or two phases. The election process need not be staggered," Jaiswal said, "Also, tallying of faces of voters, especially burqa-clad women, must be ensured with respective EPIC cards so that only genuine voters get to exercise their franchise."
RJD agrees for polls in minimal phase, but hits out at BJP
Although Lalu Prasad Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) agreed that elections should be held in one or two phases, it slammed the BJP over its demand of verification of burqa-clad voters. Abhay Kushwaha, who led the RJD delegation, dismissed BJP's demand, calling it a political ploy to push the saffron party's agenda.
"This is a political conspiracy. Only recently has the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls been carried out. New EPIC cards are to be issued to all voters with fresh photographs. Identification of voters is no big deal. But the BJP wants to push its own agenda," Kushwaha said.