Voting for the first phase of the three-phase ballot in Bihar’s assembly began this morning.
New Delhi:
Voting for the first phase of Bihar’s three-phase assembly ballot – one of the world‘s largest electoral exercises to be held in the COVID-19 pandemic – has started in 71 of the Assembly’s 243 constituencies state this morning. The second phase of voting will take place on November 3 and will cover 94 seats and the third phase of voting on 78 seats will take place on November 7. Guidelines were issued by the polling station for the safe conduct of the electoral exercise amid the rage. The COVID-19 pandemic, including staggered voting times and the extension of the postal ballot for people over 80. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, leader of the Janata Dal (United) party, is seeking a fourth consecutive term and his first after his partnership with the BJP. Its two main challengers are Tejashwi Yadav (Rashtriya Janata Dal) – the main face of the opposition coalition in the state which also includes Congress – and Chirag Paswan (Lok Janshakti party) who severed ties with the JD (U) just before the elections. .
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Of the nearly 2.15 crore eligible voters to exercise the franchise, 1.12 crore are male, 1.01 crore female and 599 are classified as the third sex, according to data provided by the Election Commission.
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In accordance with the directives of the polling body, the maximum number of voters for a voting booth has been lowered from 1,600 to 1,000.
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952 men and 114 female candidates are in the running in the first phase of the ballot.
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31,371 polling stations have been set up in the first phase and an equal number of electronic voting machines and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines will be used.
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Voting hours were also extended by one hour until 6 p.m., except in areas affected by left-wing extremism, so that COVID-19 patients could vote at the last hour of the day, the Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora announcing the Schedule of Elections in Bihar on September 25.
