JD(U) for Assembly poll in one go, BJP seeks two phases

The JD(U) on Saturday urged the Election Commission (EC) to consider holding the elections to all 243 seats in Bihar in a single phase. However, the JD(U)'s ally — the BJP — urged the EC to hold the poll in two phases. The demand was raised by the two parties during a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

"If a single-phase election can be held in Maharashtra, which has more constituencies than Bihar, why can't this be done here? There is no law and order problem here and the Naxalism has ebbed," said Sanjay Jha, JD(U) working national president.

He said paramilitary forces should be deployed at all polling booths to so that weaker sections of society were not prevented from casting their ballot.

On the other hand, state BJP president Dilip Jaiswal said his party had advocated a two-phase poll. "The longer the election process continues, the more it drains candidates financially," he said, adding that his party was also ready to face a single-phase poll.

In 2020, a three-phase election was held in Bihar. In 2015, there were five phases.

The Chief Election Commissioner is expected to announce the polling dates after his return to Delhi.

Jaiswal said the EC should ensure a 28-day gap between the date of announcement of elections and the day on which voting begins.

Both the JD(U) and the BJP pressed for holding of the elections immediately after the Chhath festival, during which a large number of migrant workers across the country come to their home state. "The poll schedule should be drawn in such a manner that migrants can cast their votes before returning to their places of work," said Jha, adding that one of the main reasons for the low poll percentage in Bihar was the absence of migrant workers during elections.

Incidentally, the Chhath festival will be held between October 25 and October 28.

\BRow over burqa-clad voters\B

The BJP stressed the need for checking the identity of burqa-clad voters by women polling staff. This was opposed by RJD MP Abhay Kushwaha. "There is no need to humiliate Muslim women voters since the special intensive revision (SIR) has already been done and the EC claims that names of fictitious voters have been removed," said Kushwaha. He also urged the EC to frame an action plan for leaders using derogatory remarks during campaigning. All representatives of 'Mahagathbandhan' asked the EC to share details of persons whose names have been omitted from the voters' list.

In the final voters' list issued by the EC, there are 7.42 crore electors in the state. Earlier, after conducting the SIR, the EC had released a draft list on August 1, removing 65 lakh voters on various accounts, including death, migration and duplication of names. Later, claims and objections were invited till September 1. In the final list published on September 30, the number of voters has come to 7.42 crore. In the 2020 count, the number stood at 7.36 crore.