Election Commission to review Bihar poll preparedness on October 4, 5

The Election Commission, led by CEC Gyanesh Kumar, will visit Patna on October 4 and 5 to take stock of poll preparedness in Bihar, officials said on Saturday.

The term of the 243-member legislative assembly ends on November 22, and assembly polls in the key state are likely to be held in November.

It is usual for the poll authority to visit states before announcing the poll schedule.

Officials said the Chief Election Commissioner-led team will be in the state on October 4 and 5.

A briefing of general, police and expenditure observers appointed by the EC for the Bihar polls is also expected to take place here on October 3.

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar is in the final stages and a final electoral roll will be published on September 30.

The Commission meets representatives of political parties, top police and administrative officials, and its state poll officials while reviewing election readiness.

The special intensive revision, taking place after a gap of over two decades, has come under sharp criticism from opposition parties, which have claimed that it will disenfranchise crores of genuine citizens of their voting rights.

The Commission has asserted that it will not allow any eligible citizen to be left out of the voter list and, at the same time, not let any ineligible person be on the list.