Poll panel tells Bihar govt to get cracking on NBWs

With just five months to go before Bihar votes again, the Election Commission today asked the state government to get cracking on the law an...

With just five months to go before Bihar votes again, the Election Commission today asked the state government to get cracking on the law and order situation by executing all non-bailable warrants and swooping down on criminals and their hidden cache of arms.

After a preliminary visit by a two-member EC team, comprising Deputy Election Commissioner Anand Sharma and adviser K.J. Rao, earlier this week, the Commission today came out with a things-to-do list for the state government to ensure that Bihar is ready for the polls.

To begin with, the EC sternly directed the government ‘‘to execute all non-bailable warrants pending in the state against criminals’’. It also asked to ‘‘conduct search operations to unearth illegal arm’’ and take preventive measures against ‘‘habitual offenders and anti-social elements’’.

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And in keeping with its directives during the last Assembly polls when the Commission got the state to provide computers, telephone/wireless sets to police stations in remote areas, the Commission asked the state to provide ‘‘proper communication facilities to all police stations’’.

The Commission also told the government ‘‘to repair roads/infrastructure immediately after the rains and floods’’. It also wants the government to provide adequate funds to the Chief Electoral Officer for the electoral photo identity cars (EPIC) programme.

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