Bihar assembly election: Nine Oppn parties write to EC, say virtual campaigning exclusionary
The leaders asked the EC to create conditions for the usual campaign ensuring maximum voter participation, a level-playing field for all contestants and proactive intervention by the poll body to penalise those seeking communal and social polarisation during the campaign.
Parliament Winter Session 2019 LIVE updates: RJD’s Manoj Kumar Jha speaking in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. (Screengrab/RSTV)
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Nine Opposition parties on Friday joined hands and approached the Election Commission arguing that the campaign for the forthcoming Assembly elections in Bihar cannot be “all digital” and that it should fix a “limit” for expenditure on the digital campaigns. They said a digital campaign will mean that two-third of the electorate will be left out of the process.
While the parties did not demand postponement of the elections, they asked the EC to take steps to “satisfy the people that the entire poll exercise” will not become a “super spreader event”. They asked the EC to review the situation in consultation with public health experts and other stakeholders keeping in mind the “rapidly worsening” Covid situation.
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Leaders of the nine parties asked the EC to create conditions for the usual campaign ensuring maximum voter participation, a level-playing field for all contestants and proactive intervention by the poll body to penalise those seeking communal and social polarisation during the campaign.
The virtual meeting with the EC was attended by Congress’s Shaktisinh Gohil, RJD’s Manoj Kumar Jha, RLSP’s Upendra Kushwaha and other leaders of the Maha Gathbandhan like former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi of HAM(S). CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, his CPI counterpart D Raja and CPI(ML) (Liberation) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya joined the meeting, indicating that the Left parties will be part of the grand alliance.
Asked whether the parties demanded postponement of the elections, Jha told The Indian Express, “We have put certain conditions (in the memorandum) which are precarious in nature. And the EC has assured us they are monitoring the coronavirus situation every day. Ultimately conducting elections has to be left to the wisdom of the EC.”
In the memorandum, the parties asked, “How does the EC plan to ensure physical distancing… People need explicit clarity so that wholesome participation of the majority of voters is not adversely impacted. People also expect the commission to ensure and satisfy the people that the entire poll exercise does not become a super spreader event.”
As for digital campaigning, the parties — without naming the BJP and JD(U) — said the ruling parties had at a meeting convened by the Chief Election Commissioner pushed their proposal “regarding virtual election campaigns through digital media and prohibiting traditional election campaign methods”.
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Quoting TRAI figures, they argued that only a little over half the population has a mobile phone and 34 per cent have a smartphone. “It will be a travesty of unpardonable proportion to officially legitimize a mode of election campaign which is not only severely limited by its reach but exclusionary by its design. Almost two thirds of the electorate will be left out of the process. Uncaring about this the parties in power have kick started their virtual blitzkrieg while the Election Commission is yet to fix the limit of expenditure of this virtual political campaign.”
They reminded the EC that it has the Constitutional mandate to ensure a free and fair election guaranteeing a level playing field to all contestants and parties and asked the EC to take a “proactive approach to prioritise the health and well being of the people of Bihar as well as the spirit of democracy…”
Manoj C G currently serves as the Chief of National Political Bureau at The Indian Express. A veteran journalist with a career spanning nearly two decades, he plays a pivotal role in shaping the publication's coverage of India's political landscape.
Experience & Career: Manoj has built a robust career in political journalism, marked by a transition from wire service reporting to in-depth newspaper analysis.
The Indian Express (2008 – Present): He joined the organization in 2008 and has risen to lead the National Political Bureau, overseeing key political coverage.
Press Trust of India (PTI): Prior to his tenure at The Indian Express, Manoj worked with India’s premier news agency, PTI, honing his skills in breaking news and accurate reporting.
Expertise & Focus Areas: As a seasoned political observer, Manoj focuses on the nuances of governance and party dynamics.
National Politics: extensive reporting on the central government, parliamentary affairs, and national elections.
Political Strategy: Deep analysis of party structures, coalition politics, and the shifting ideologies within the Indian political spectrum.
Bureau Leadership: directing a team of reporters to cover the most critical developments in the nation's capital.
Authoritativeness & Trust: Manoj’s authoritativeness is grounded in his nearly 20 years of field experience and his leadership role at a legacy newspaper. His long-standing association with The Indian Express underscores a reputation for consistency, editorial integrity, and rigorous reporting standards required of a Bureau Chief.
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