EC issues notification for first phase of Bihar polls

The Election Commission of India (EC) on Friday issued a notification for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections, formally setting in motion the process of filing nominations for the 121 constituencies scheduled to go to the polls in the first round.

The Assembly elections in the state will be held in two phases. Polling for the first phase is slated for November 6, while the second phase will take place on November 11. Counting of votes will be conducted on November 14.

The second phase will cover 122 constituencies, bringing the total to 243 Assembly seats in Bihar.

The notification, issued by the Bihar Governor under Section 15(2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, lays down detailed guidelines for filing nominations, their scrutiny and the polling schedule for constituencies going to the polls in the first phase.

Candidates may file their nomination papers until October 17 (Friday). Scrutiny will be carried out the following day and withdrawals will be permitted until October 20.

The poll panel has also directed strict security arrangements around nomination centres. Gatherings of supporters will not be allowed outside these venues and the number of persons accompanying a candidate has been capped at five, including the candidate. The entire nomination process will be videographed.

The EC has deployed approximately 8.5 lakh officials across the state to ensure smooth conduct of the elections. These include about 4.53 lakh polling personnel, 2.5 lakh police personnel, 28,000 counting staff and 18,000 micro-observers.

In the first phase, polling will take place across districts in North and South Bihar, including Patna, Darbhanga, Madhepura, Saharsa, Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, Siwan, Saran and Vaishali, among others.