Bihar Assembly Election 2020: ‘New normal for world’s biggest election amid Covid-19’, says CEC Sunil Arora

During a press briefing this afternoon, chief election commissioner Sunil Arora along with announcing the dates of the assembly elections also laid out a set of guidelines that will have to be followed by voters and election commission officials during the process of choosing the new 243-member assembly.

Amid the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic in the country, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday announced the schedule for the Bihar Assembly Elections 2020. Voting will be held in three phases. Phase 1 will consist of 71 seats, phase 2 will have 94 seats and the third and the final phase will have 78 seats. The results for all the three phases will be out on November 10.

Arora stated that Bihar assembly polls will be one of the biggest elections globally to be held amid the Covid-19 pandemic. (ANI Photo)

During a press briefing this afternoon, chief election commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora along with announcing the dates of the assembly elections also laid out a set of guidelines that will have to be followed by voters and election commission officials during the process of choosing the new 243-member assembly. He stated that Bihar assembly polls will be one of the biggest elections globally to be held amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Some of the guidelines include maintaining social distancing at polling booths, provision of masks, sanitisers and face shields and facilitating voting for those who have been infected with Covid-19.

Here is a look at the top quotes of CEC Sunil Arora during the briefing: 

1. Covid-19 pandemic has forced a new normal in all aspects of life; Bihar polls to be held under new security protocols, CEC Sunil Arora said

2. Arora mentioned that over seven lakh hand sanitizers, around 46 lakh masks, 6 lakh PPE kits 6.7 lakh units of faces-shields, 23 lakh pairs of hand gloves have been arranged, adding that 7.2 crore single-use hand gloves have been arranged especially for voters.

3. The number of polling booths have increased in order to ensure social distancing and social distancing norms will need to be followed at public gatherings during the poll campaign, Arora said.

4. Arora said that in order to further decongest polling stations and allow more free movement of voters, polling time has been increased by 1 hour. It’ll be held from 7 am-6 pm, instead of 7 am-5 pm earlier. He added that this will not be applicable to Left Wing Extremism-affect areas.

5. With a view to ensure that all responsible people of the state are given an opportunity to cast their vote, the CEC said that Covid-19 patients who are under quarantine will be able to cast their vote on the last day of poll, at their respective polling stations, under the supervision of health authorities. This is beside the option of postal facility already extended to them, he added.

6. “The term of assembly in the state of Bihar is due to expire on November 29, 2020. Bihar assembly has a strength of 243 members, of whom 38 seats are reserved for SCs and two for STs”, Arora said.

7. The CEC added that anyone using social media for mischievous purposes, such as for flaring communal tension during elections will have to face consequences. He said the social media platforms will be expected to make adequate arrangements to safeguard against misuse of their platforms and further set up strict protocols to handle such issues as and when they arise.

(With ANI inputs)