Bihar Election 2020: Election Commission announces three-phase polling from October 28; counting on November 10

The Election Commission on September 25 announced dates for the 2020 Bihar Legislative Assembly election. The polls will be held in three phases starting from October 28, amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. The counting of votes will happen on November 10.

The term of the state’s 243-member Legislative Assembly is scheduled to end on November 29.

As many as 71 constituencies will head for polls in the first phase on October 28. This will be followed by voting in 94 constituencies in the second phase on November 3 and across 78 seats in the final phase on November 7.

With this announcement, the model code of conduct also came into force in the state.

“As we talk, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) stands enforced with this announcement. The Commission has already made elaborate arrangements for ensuring the effective implementation of MCC guidelines,” Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora said.

Arora noted that the “world had changed” due to the pandemic since the last assembly elections were held in the National Capital Territory in February. He added that the Commission had to undertaken meticulous planning for these polls.

Arora said physical distancing measures and other safety protocols related to COVID-19 would be followed strictly during the election process. About 46 lakh masks, 6 lakh PPE kits and 7 lakh units of sanitizers will be used during the exercise, he said.

He added that 1,000 people will vote in every polling booth of the state instead of the usual 1,500. Candidates will be allowed to file their election affidavits and pay deposits online.

The Commission had announced a number of health-related measures last month. These include a cap on the number of people involved in door-to-door campaigning, providing voters with gloves before they cast their vote through the electronic voting machines (EVMs).

The Commission announced that polling time has been increased by one hour -- 7.00 am to 6.00 pm instead of 7.00 am to 5.00 pm -- to help avoid crowding at polling stations.

Additionally, COVID-19 patients who are quarantined, will be allowed to vote in the last hour of polling. Voters above the age of 80 can vote via postal ballots. Bihar has recorded 1.7 lakh COVID-19 cases so far, including more than 5,000 fatalities.

Political parties have been mandated to publish details of criminal cases pending against their candidates and why they were given an election ticket despite these cases.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) and its allies, including the Bharatiya Janata Party, are aiming to retain power in the state.

The ruling coalition is being challenged by the ‘Grand Alliance’ comprising Tejashwi Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the Congress and other smaller parties. It remains unclear of the Left front would join the opposition alliance.

Nitish Kumar has been the chief minister of the eastern state since 2005 – except for a brief period in 2014 when he vacated the seat following his party’s debacle in the Lok Sabha polls.

In 2015, JD(U), RJD and the Congress had teamed up for the assembly polls to successfully keep Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP at bay.

Voting in the 2015 Bihar election was held over five phases between October 12 and November 5. The results were declared on November 8. The election saw a voter turnout of 56.8 percent -- the highest in last 15 years.

However, in July 2017, Nitish resigned as the chief minister amid rift with the RJD over corruption charges against senior leaders of the party. Often referred to as the ‘Chanakya of Bihar’, Nitish readily accepted BJP's support to continue in power — a move that took him from being a staunch Modi critic to an ally and part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).