PATNA: Ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections scheduled for October-November this year, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has deleted the names of over four lakh voters from the electoral rolls. The move comes just before an ECI team’s scheduled visit to the state to assess election preparedness.A team from the Election Commission is set to arrive in Patna for a two-day visit before the Holi festival next month. During the visit, the team will hold meetings with district magistrates and senior officials from various agencies to evaluate the situation ahead of the polls. Apart from Patna, the team will also visit Muzaffarpur and Bhagalpur.According to sources from the State Election Commission, 4,09,434 voters’ names have been removed from the electoral rolls for various reasons. Of these, 2,37,967 are male voters, 1,71,421 are female voters, and 46 are transgender voters. On the other hand, 9,94,466 new voters have been added to the list.The deletion of a significant number of female voters, particularly in districts like Kishanganj, Araria, Nalanda, and Madhubani, is expected to stir controversy. Opposition parties are reportedly preparing to raise this issue during the Election Commission’s visit.Sources indicated that the EC team will also review the status of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) systems during meetings with officials. The schedule for the 243-member Bihar Assembly elections is likely to be announced in September, with voting expected to take place in November after major festivals like Dussehra, Diwali, and Chhath.Meanwhile, all political parties have begun preparations for the elections. Several top political leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar, are expected to visit Bihar by the end of February. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has already visited the state on February 5 to attend the birth anniversary celebrations of Dalit icon and freedom fighter Jaglal Choudhary.
Source link
