EC holds successful meeting with Bihar's political parties ahead of assembly polls; Political parties urge to conduct polls after Chhath

Patna (Bihar) [India], October 4 (ANI): Under the chairmanship of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, discussions were successfully held with all the recognised political parties of Bihar, along with Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi, Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar Vinod Singh Gunjyal and senior officers of the Commission.
During the interaction, the Election Commission 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 minimum phases as possible.
The parties also appreciated several recent initiatives by the Election Commission, including reforms related to the counting of postal ballots and the use of Form 17C.
All political parties reiterated their complete trust in the Election Commission and expressed confidence that the upcoming Bihar elections would be conducted in a free, fair, and fully transparent manner.
Meanwhile, Janata Dal (United) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha on Saturday said that the party has urged the Election Commission to conduct the upcoming Bihar assembly elections in a single phase, citing the state's improved law and order situation.
Speaking after a meeting between the Election Commission and recognised political parties in Patna, Jha said to reporters, "We put forward our point before the Election Commission. The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has happened in Bihar, and Bihar will show the country the way SIR is done. We have urged that elections should be held in one phase in Bihar."

Emphasising that the security environment in the state is conducive for smooth polling, Jha added, "Law and order in Bihar is in good condition. If elections can be held in one phase in Maharashtra, then why not in Bihar?"
Earlier, BJP Bihar President Dilip Jaiswal stated on Saturday that the Election Commission has requested political parties to ensure that their polling agents surely collect Form 17C after the voting concludes, as the poll body will announce the dates for the Bihar assembly at any time now.
"The Election Commission has requested political parties to ensure that their polling agents surely collect Form 17C when voting ends in the evening... Some political parties' polling agents leave early, and then the blame game begins... We were also asked about when the elections should be held. We said that the elections should be held immediately when the 28-day announcement period ends, without any delay...," Jaiswal told reporters.
The Election Commission is expected to announce the dates for the Bihar Assembly polls at any time now. (ANI)