Why Are Bihar Parties Pressing For One Or Two-Phase Assembly Elections?

Political parties across Bihar's spectrum urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday to conduct the upcoming assembly elections in one or at most two phases, aiming to reduce logistical burdens and costs for voters and candidates. The demand emerged during a review meeting in Patna between ECI's full bench—Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi—and representatives from 12 recognised parties. The session, part of the ECI's three-day assessment of poll preparedness, comes amid speculation that the election schedule could be announced within days, following the 2020 polls that spanned three phases on October 28, November 3, and November 7.

Ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders, including Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Dilip Jaiswal, advocated for a single-phase election to streamline the process. "The election process need not be staggered," Jaiswal stated post-meeting, emphasising that fewer phases would ease financial strains on participants. The BJP also raised identity verification issues for burqa-clad women voters, insisting on cross-checking with Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) to ensure authenticity. Additionally, the party called for enhanced Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) deployment in vulnerable areas prone to booth capturing and voter intimidation, including preemptive flag marches in villages with significant populations of extremely backward classes to build public confidence.

Opposition Mahagathbandhan constituents, such as the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and CPI-ML (Liberation), echoed the call for two phases while scrutinising the electoral rolls. RJD spokesperson Chittaranjan Gagan highlighted the deletion of 3.66 lakh voters from the final updated rolls published on September 30 after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). "We have raised the issue about whether those deleted were given two appeals and written orders," Gagan said, demanding district-wise data on voters flagged as 'not Indian citizens' to assess foreign national claims.

The RJD also sought corrections for families split across booths due to rationalisation, video recording of postal ballot counting, and probes into pre-poll officer transfers. Congress leaders, including state president Rajesh Kumar and legislature party leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan, requested public disclosure of added names, deleted entries, and illegal immigrant counts, alongside soft copies of the rolls for transparency.

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The ECI, represented by state Chief Electoral Officer Vinod Singh Gunjiyal, encouraged parties to foster harmony and prioritise voter dignity, outlining measures like Form 17C provisions for turnout verification and postal ballot safeguards. Officials noted appreciation for capping voters per polling station at 1,200 and reiterated commitments to free, fair elections through active stakeholder involvement.

As Bihar gears up for polls in late 2025—potentially November—these consultations underscore efforts to mitigate anomalies in a state electorate exceeding 7.6 crore, balancing efficiency with inclusivity amid historical challenges like voter list discrepancies.

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