Bihar polls will be held on time: EC sources

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 23

Even as several of the parties demanded postponement of the Assembly elections in Bihar in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, sources in the Election Commission (EC) have said the elections would be held on time.

The term of the 243-member Bihar legislative Assembly comes to an end on November 29 and indications emerging out of the poll panel suggest that elections could be held sometime in October-November. "We are preparing to hold assembly elections in Bihar well before the end of the term of the existing assembly," said a senior EC official.

The state's principal opposition party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, has questioned the need for holding the elections amid the pandemic. The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), a constituent of the ruling NDA, has also urged the poll panel to postpone the polls.

Political parties had recently responded to a letter from the EC seeking suggestions on how to conduct campaigning during the pandemic for the upcoming Bihar elections and certain other bypolls.

A couple of days ago, the EC had come out with broad guidelines to hold elections amid the pandemic.

from The Tribune https://ift.tt/2EaCbUt