Bihar assembly election on schedule, says CEO

PATNA: Amid demands of some political leaders to defer the state assembly polls due to surge in the Covid-19 cases in Bihar, the state chief electoral officer (CEO), H R Srinivasa, on Wednesday reiterated that the elections would be held on schedule.
The CEO said the process of imparting training to the personnel concerned has already started and the EVMs and the VVPAT have reached the respective districts for election purposes. The master trainers were also imparted required training on Wednesday, he added.
“The training of returning officers (ROs) will commence on Thursday. Things are moving as per schedule and hope to complete the process on time. In 2015, the schedule of the assembly polls was announced on September 9. Compared to the previous election, we have sufficient time for the upcoming polls,” he said.
When asked about the demand of some political parties to defer the election in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the CEO said some individuals had approached the commission with such demands earlier. “But we have not received any such demand from any registered political party so far,” he clarified.
The CEO said the Election Commission (EC) of India has already been apprised of the demands of the individuals to defer the state assembly polls in the wake of rising number of positive Covid-19 cases in the state. “It’s up to the EC to take a final call on the matter,” Srinivasa said.
He, however, clarified that prior to the assembly polls, the biennial election to the state legislative council seats from graduate and teachers constituencies is also to be conducted. The request of the state government for the election for the vacant seats was immediately sent to the EC, which is yet to issue any directive,” he pointed out.
Replying to a query, the CEO said the main political parties have already started campaigning for the forthcoming election using digital platforms.