Patna (Bihar) [India], October 4 : Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Abhay Kushwaha on Saturday placed a demand before Chief Election Commission (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, urging that the upcoming assembly elections be held in two phases. He also appealed to the people whose names have been removed from the voter list to file a complaint.
"We have brought all the points in front of the Election Commission clearly. I have also provided them with suggestions that RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had in written form. We have demanded that the elections be held in two phases. We have told them to give us a clear list of the 3,66,000 names that were removed (from the voter list), and I appeal to those whose names have been removed to file a complaint," Kushwaha told ANI.
Earlier in the day, CEC Kumar chaired discussions with all the recognised political parties of Bihar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar Vinod Singh Gunjyal and senior officers of the Commission.
During the interaction, the Election Commission (EC) stated that political parties are the cornerstone of democracy and that all parties should ensure their participation at every stage of a transparent electoral process.
The EC urged voters to celebrate the festival of elections with harmony and respect, and to experience the transparency of the elections. It also urged political parties to ensure that they nominate polling agents at every polling booth.
Political parties thanked the EC for taking "historic, transparent, and firm" measures to purify the electoral rolls through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and reiterated their complete commitment and faith in the electoral process.
They also thanked the EC for setting a maximum number of voters per polling station at 1,200.
Moreover, representatives from various political parties demanded that elections be conducted immediately after the Chhath festival to ensure maximum voter participation and suggested holding the elections in as few phases as possible.
The electoral contest in Bihar is largely expected to be a direct fight between the incumbent National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and the Mahagathbandhan led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
In the 243-member Bihar Assembly, the NDA currently holds 131 seats, with the BJP holding 80, JD(U) 45, HAM(S) 4, and two Independents. The Mahagathbandhan holds 111 seats, with the RJD securing 77, followed by the Congress with 19, the CPI(ML) with 11, the CPI(M) with 2, and the CPI with 2.
Political activity has intensified in the state, with parties trading charges as they gear up for a high-stakes election battle.