Bihar poll bugle to sound today: EC to announce election dates at 4 pm

New Delhi, Oct 6: The Election Commission of India (ECI) will announce the schedule for the Bihar Assembly elections today at 4 pm, officials confirmed on Monday.

The announcement follows a comprehensive two-day review of the state’s election preparedness, during which the full Election Commission team assessed security, logistics, and administrative readiness for conducting the high-stakes polls.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, held back-to-back meetings in Patna on October 4 and 5 with senior state officials, including the Chief Secretary, Director General of Police, and other administrative heads.

The top election officials reviewed arrangements for ensuring free, fair, and inducement-free elections in the state.

“We are fully committed to conducting elections in Bihar that are transparent, inclusive and peaceful,” — CEC Gyanesh Kumar said after concluding the review.

The review exercise covered every critical aspect of election planning — from the management of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and rationalisation of polling stations, to training of poll personnel, deployment of central forces, and voter awareness initiatives.

District Election Officers (DEOs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) were instructed to intensify surveillance across districts and keep a close watch on social media to curb the spread of misinformation or attempts to influence voters through unlawful inducements.

Ahead of the announcement, the Election Commission also held consultations with major political parties in Bihar, including the BJP, JD(U), RJD, Congress, CPI(ML), and AAP, to seek their views on the timing and phasing of the polls.

A consensus emerged around holding elections after the Chhath festival, which begins on October 25, to allow migrant voters to return home and participate in large numbers.

While the ruling NDA alliance pressed for single-phase polling, citing efficiency and security advantages, the Opposition Mahagathbandhan suggested a two-phase schedule to ensure better turnout and administration.

JD(U) state president Umesh Singh Kushwaha said the party had formally requested that elections be held immediately after Chhath Puja to enable maximum participation.

The BJP echoed this demand and sought the deployment of paramilitary forces in sensitive districts to strengthen voter confidence and maintain law and order.

In contrast, the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections were held in three phases amid the Covid-19 pandemic — on October 28, November 3, and November 7 — making it the country’s first major election conducted under health restrictions.

The term of the 243-member Bihar Legislative Assembly ends on November 22, and the poll body is expected to ensure that the electoral process is completed well before that date.

The final electoral roll, published on September 30, pegs Bihar’s total number of electors at 7.42 crore.

Officials said the Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls was completed ahead of schedule, clearing the way for Monday’s formal announcement.

The upcoming elections are expected to set the stage for a high-voltage political contest between the ruling NDA, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and the Mahagathbandhan, spearheaded by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

Currently, the NDA holds 131 seats in the Assembly, while the Opposition bloc commands 111.

All eyes will now be on the Election Commission headquarters in New Delhi as Bihar awaits the official election schedule at 4 pm today, formally kicking off the battle for power in one of India’s most politically significant states.