Bihar elections: Did ECI exclude 3 major parties from the October 4 meeting?
As major political parties brace for the Bihar Assembly elections, speculations are that the elections will likely be held only after the Chhath Puja, which falls on October 25. The term of the current 17th Bihar Legislative Assembly will expire on November 22, 2025. The dates will be announced likely on October 6 or 7, according to local media reports.Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar will be visiting Bihar on October 4th and 5th, along with fellow commissioners, Dr S S Sandhu and Vineet Joshi. This team will thoroughly review election preparations. The delegation will return to Delhi by October 5th. It is expected that the Bihar election dates will be announced soon, on October 6th or 7th.
However, the EC’s crucial meeting with the state's political parties on October 4 at Patna has already courted controversy for leaving out three major parties.
A letter issued by Additional Chief Electoral Officer Amit Kumar Pandey has invited the representatives of the political parties of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Bharatiya Janata Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist) - CPI (M), Indian National Congress, National People's Party, Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Rashtriya Janata Dal, Rashtriya Lok Samata Party and Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation to attend the event.
However, missing from the list are Mukesh Sahani's 'VIP' (Vikassheel Insaan Party), Upendra Kushwaha's 'RLM' (Rashtriya Lok Morcha), and Jitan Ram Manjhi's 'HAM' (Hindustani Awam Morcha).
The Election Commission's high-level team will also review all aspects of the state's law and order situation and election-related preparations during its visit to Bihar. The Commission's team will hold separate meetings with the state's Chief Secretary, Director General of Police, state heads of all central agencies, District Election Officers and District Magistrates, and Senior Superintendents of Police.
If the announcement of dates comes by October 5 or 6, it could still be the most delayed announcement in the last two decades. In 2020, the election dates were announced on September 25th, and in 2015, the notification was issued on September 16th. In 2010, it was issued on September 27th.
According to Article 172 of the Constitution, the term of any Legislative Assembly is a maximum of five years from its first meeting, after which it automatically dissolves. Therefore, the Election Commission has approximately 50 days left to conduct the elections.
Pages:
[1]