The Election Commission of India (ECI) held a press conference in Patna to review the poll preparedness for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh and Dr. Vivek Joshi, led the discussions.
The team also met with senior officials, including the Chief Secretary, DMs, SPs, SSPs, DIGs, and nodal officers to assess ground-level arrangements and ensure smooth conduct of the elections.
Addressing the people of Bihar, Gyanesh Kumar conveyed a heartfelt message in Bhojpuri. He said,
“Hum sabse pehle Bharat ke matdata ka abhinandan karat tani, aur chunav ke safalta purvak samapan khatir sabke koti-kot dhanyawaad jatawat bani. Aap sab loktantra ke chunav ke mahaparv ke utsav jaisan manai, jaise chhath puja ke pure aastha se manawala.” (I first extend my greetings to the voters of India and express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone for ensuring the successful completion of the elections. I urge all of you to celebrate this great festival of democracy with the same devotion and enthusiasm as you celebrate Chhath Puja.)
He urged all citizens to treat the elections as a celebration of democracy and ensure maximum voter participation.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said the Bihar Assembly’s term will end on November 22, and elections will be completed before that date. Bihar has 243 assembly constituencies, including two reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST) and 38 for Scheduled Castes (SC). The Commission reviewed security, logistics, and administrative measures, coordinating with the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) for deployment across sensitive areas.
CEC Gyanesh Kumar appreciated Booth Level Officers (BLOs) for their extensive work in voter roll purification. He said BLOs played a crucial role in improving the accuracy of electoral rolls in Bihar, which can serve as an example for the entire country. “We express our gratitude to every BLO who worked tirelessly in the field,” he stated. The Commission also announced photo identity cards for BLOs and enhanced remuneration for their services.
Addressing the people of Bihar, Gyanesh Kumar extended greetings to all voters, encouraging them to participate in the upcoming elections with the same enthusiasm as festivals like Chhath Puja. “Just as Bihar celebrates its festivals with devotion, we must celebrate democracy by voting with equal faith and energy,” he said. The Commission aims to promote higher voter turnout through awareness campaigns and voter facilitation drives.
The Election Commission announced several new initiatives to strengthen transparency and efficiency in Bihar’s election process. Training programs for polling staff will be held at IIIDEM. Voter cards (EPICs) will now be delivered within 15 days, and a “Mobile Deposit Facility” will be available at polling stations to ensure security. The EC also introduced a clearer Voter Information Slip (VIS) and the ECINET app—a one-stop digital platform for election data management.
The Commission fixed a limit of 1,200 voters per polling station to reduce crowding. Additional booths will be set up in densely populated or high-rise areas. CEC Kumar announced that 100% webcasting will be implemented at polling stations, and EVMs will now display coloured photographs of candidates. The EC also revised guidelines for VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) machines to ensure mandatory verification in case of mismatches during counting.
The ECI plans to streamline the counting process for postal ballots and make election-related data digitally accessible at the constituency level through digital index cards and reports. Candidates will be allowed to set up booths beyond 100 metres from polling stations to maintain order. The Commission reiterated that elections in India are conducted under constitutional provisions, laws, and rules, representing the world’s largest democratic process divided into multiple phases.
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Swastika Sruti is a Senior Sub Editor at NewsX Digital with 5 years of experience shaping stories that matter. She loves tracking politics- national and global trends, and never misses a chance to dig deeper into policies and developments. Passionate about what’s happening around us, she brings sharp insight and clarity to every piece she works on. When not curating news, she’s busy exploring what’s next in the world of public interest. You can reach her at [swastika.newsx@gmail.com]
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