Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Sunday confirmed that elections to the Bihar Legislative Assembly will be conducted before November 22, the date on which the term of the current Assembly ends. Addressing a press conference in Patna at the conclusion of the Election Commission’s two-day visit, Kumar also said the Commission is introducing a series of reforms and logistical changes. “These elections will be completed before November 22,” the CEC said, adding that the full Commission has reviewed all aspects of preparedness to ensure free, fair and timely elections in the state. Among the major new initiatives are the reduction of the number of electors per polling station to 1,200, down from the existing limit of 1,500. “Earlier, long queues used to form, especially during the final hours of polling. This change is aimed at cutting congestion and reducing waiting times,” Kumar said. Mobile phone deposit facilities will be introduced at polling stations across Bihar. Voters will be able to deposit their phones outside the polling booth and collect them after casting their vote. “This system was tested during recent by-elections and will now be implemented across the entire state with the Bihar elections,” he added. Voter Information Slips (VIS) are also being redesigned. Enlarged serial and part numbers will enhance readability and are expected to reduce the processing time per voter. For the first time, Booth Level Agents (BLAs) and Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have been trained at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) in Delhi, the CEC said, adding that earlier, such training was conducted only at the district or state level. BLOs have also been issued standardised photo ID cards to enhance credibility and ease of interaction with the public. The CEC also announced the launch of the ECINET dashboard, a platform that will consolidate around 40 different forms used during the electoral process. “This will reduce administrative burdens and make the process more seamless for all voters and the stakeholders,” Kumar said. The canvassing distance for political parties has been revised, with the permissible limit now set at 100 metres from the polling station entrance, CEC Kumar said while adding that this move is aimed at reducing voter discomfort and maintaining the neutrality of the polling environment. He also said that all polling stations in Bihar will have “100% webcasting” for the first time to ensure greater transparency and monitoring. In addition, the counting of postal ballots will be completed before the final two rounds of counting of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Presiding Officers will also be required to hand over Form 17C, which contains booth-wise polling data, to party agents before leaving the polling station. Voter identity cards and candidate information materials are also being updated. “For better voter awareness, the serial numbers will be printed in larger font, and candidate photos will now be in colour instead of black-and-white,” Kumar said. The Election Commission of India, comprising CEC Gyanesh Kumar, Election Commissioner Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, and Election Commissioner Dr. Vivek Joshi, arrived in Patna on the night of Friday for a comprehensive two-day review of poll preparations. On October 4, the Commission held detailed interactions with representatives of recognised national and state political parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party, Indian National Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Janata Dal (United), Aam Aadmi Party, and others. Political parties had suggested that elections be held immediately after the Chhath festival, and in as few phases as possible to maximise voter participation. CEC Kumar described political parties as “significant stakeholders in a strong democracy” and urged them to ensure full participation in the electoral process by appointing their polling and counting agents. Later, the Commission held meetings with Divisional Commissioners, Inspectors General of Police, District Election Officers, and Senior Superintendents of Police, covering election planning, EVM and logistics management, law and order, enforcement measures, training of polling personnel, and social media monitoring. Officials were instructed to respond promptly to complaints raised by political parties and to act with complete impartiality. On October 5, the Commission met with nodal officers of enforcement agencies, followed by meetings with the Chief Electoral Officer, State Police Nodal Officer, and Central Armed Police Forces’ nodal officer. The visit concluded with a high-level review meeting with the Chief Secretary of Bihar, the Director General of Police, and other senior state officials, ahead of the press conference.
