NEW DELHI: Bihar will have a six-phase poll from October 21 to November 20, the first major poll exercise that would test the mood of the people after the 2009 Lok Sabha polls.

An estimated 5.50 crore electorate would exercise their franchise to elect a 243-member House in the month-long exercise with polling for the sixth and final phase ending on November 20. The counting of votes would take place on November 24. The second, third, fourth and fifth phases would be held on October 24, 28, November 1 and November 9. Polling would be held through Electronic Voting Machines in 56,943 polling stations spread across the state.
The announcement was made by Chief Election Commissioner, Mr S Y Quraishi along with other two Election Commissioners, Mr V S Sampath and Mr H S Brahma at a press conference here on Monday.
Mr Quraishi said that the code of conduct has come into force with immediate effect and the Exit and Opinion Polls would be banned during the poll exercise. On the Naxal threat in the elections, the CEC said, “We have taken into consideration the ground reality and we have adequate forces to ensure free and fair polls.” Asked about Bihar Chief Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar’s plea for availability of central forces in all polling booths, he said that the poll panel would keep the Chief Minister’s request in mind while deciding the deployment plan.
Bypolls for Banka Lok Sabha seat, which became vacant following the death of sitting MP, Mr Digvijay Singh will be held on November 1. The poll exercise is starting a week after the closing of the Commonwealth Games in Delhi to make available adequate central forces. A request to this effect was made by the Home Ministry earlier.
Allaying fears about the use of EVMs, Mr Quraishi said that the machines were working “satisfactorily” and the EC would involve political parties during their first level checking which was not done earlier. Besides, he said that the EC would be convening an all-party meeting on various issues including money power in elections as also paid news besides the issue of EVMs. He said the Commission has also started the vulnerability mapping of the constituencies to put more focus on sensitive and hypersensitive booths. Besides general observers, the EC has also decided to appoint adequate number of expenditure observers in the state who will exclusively monitor the poll expenditure of the contesting candidates.
As many as 47 seats would go to polls in the first phase for which notification will be issued on September 27, last date for nominations on October 4, scrutiny the next day. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is October 7. The second phase would involve 45 constituencies and the notification would be issued on September 29, last date for nominations October 6, scrutiny the next day. October 9 is the last date for withdrawal.
The third phase will have 48 constituencies with October 4 being the date of notification, last date for nominations is October 11, scrutiny the next day and the last date for withdrawal is October 14. Forty two seats will go to polls in fourth phase with the date of notification on October 7. October 14 is the last date for nominations, scrutiny the next day and the last date for withdrawal is October 18. Thirty five constituencies will be facing elections in the fifth phase. The notification will be issued on October 15, last date for nominations is October 22, scrutiny the next day and last date for withdrawal is October 25.
The last phase will see 26 constituencies going to polls. The notifications will be issued on October 27, last date for nominations is November 3, scrutiny will be the next day and the last date for withdrawal is November 6. The election is expected to be a triangular affair with the ruling Janata Dal (United)-Bharatiya Janata Party continuing their poll alliance and Mr Lalu Prasad’s Rashtriya Janata Dal and Mr Ram Vilas Paswan’s Lok Jan Shakti Party joining hands to oust it from power. The Congress has announced it would go it alone in the state unlike in the past when it played a second fiddle to RJD.