Announce Dumka bypoll date, ruling JMM writes to poll panel

Ranchi: Demanding the announcement of dates of the scheduled by-polls to the Dumka assembly seat, JMM on Sunday proposed several measures to the Election Commission for conducting the polls by maintaining social distancing norms.
In a two-page letter to chief election commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora, JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya proposed deployment of at least five balloting units in every booth across the constituency to reduce longer queues and maintain social distancing.
“Usually, one EVM is allotted for 16 candidates and if there are more, then another EVM is used. Similarly, each booth can be allotted five to 10 EVMs. The voting time can also be extended and queues can be made longer to maintain social distancing,” Bhattacharya wrote in his letter.
Underscoring the need to conduct the polls by July 5 in order to maintain Constitutional provisions, JMM also advocated for a ban on election rallies, meetings and mega campaigns. “In its place, door-to-door campaigning must be allowed. The contingent must not be more than four persons and all of them have to wear masks and gloves compulsorily,” the letter read.
The Dumka seat, a JMM bastion, was won back from BJP’s Lois Marandi by chief minister Hemant Soren in last year’s assembly polls. However, the seat fell vacant on January 6 after Hemant took oath as the MLA from Barhait assembly seat in Sahibganj district, which he had also won.
Looking to retain the seat in the by-polls, JMM raised the pitch after the EC recently announced the date for the shelved Rajya Sabha biennials. The Rajya Sabha polls in two seats, originally slated for March 26 this year, has been deferred to June 19 due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown.
Congress, a JMM ally in the ruling coalition in the state, took potshots at the EC for deferring the Rajya Sabha biennials. “The election was shelved when there was not a single case in Jharkhand. And now, the polls have been rescheduled when the state has over 1,000 Covid-19 cases,” the party’s working president Rajesh Thakur said. He added, “Congress is in favour of conducting the polls in Dumka by following social distancing protocols by July 5. The party is on the same page with JMM on this.”
BJP, however, toed a cautious line. “The party is currently working to provide relief to Covid-19 pandemic and it is our sole focus. But as and when the EC announces election dates, we will contest. Our preparation is done. The government has lost its goodwill in recent months and it will reflect in Dumka polls,” the party’s state spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo said.