Bihar: Panchayat polls schedule out, voting begins on Sept 24

Prasad said electronic voting machines (EVMs) would be used for the first time in the rural bodies elections

The 11-phase election for over 2.55 lakh representatives of the three-tier panchayati raj institutions (PRIs) will begin in Bihar on September 24 and end on December 12, according to the notification announced by state election commissioner (SEC) Deepak Prasad in Patna on Tuesday.

Votes will be counted on the following day of polling of each phase. (HT File)

Votes will be counted on the following day of polling of each phase of the election during which about 6.39 crore electors are expected to vote.

At a press conference on Tuesday, SEC Prasad said electronic voting machines (EVMs) would be used for the first time in the rural bodies elections. “However, elections for panch and sarpanch will be conducted through the ballot papers. Polling for mukhiya, panchayat samiti members, panchayat members and zila parishad members will be held through EVMs,” he said.

In the first phase of election on September 24, polling will be held in 2,119 booths in 12 blocks spread across 10 districts of Kaimur, Rohtas, Gaya, Nawada, Aurangabad, Jehanabad, Arwal, Munger, Jamui and Banka.

In the last phase of election on December 12, polling will be held in 38 blocks of 20 districts, areas mostly affected currently by floods.

The last panchayat elections were held five years ago in 10 phases, which had nearly 6.44 crore electors. “The number of electors and panchayat bodies have been reduced due to reorganisation of urban bodies, in which 315 panchayats lost their existence and 186 panchayats were partially hit,” said the SEC, adding that about 1 lakh polling personnel would be engaged along with nearly 90,000 security personnel.

The candidates will have online and physical arrangement for filing their nominations, which has been scheduled phase-wise. “Like in assembly elections, we have decided to appoint micro-observers for the first time in panchayat elections. Any case of poll code violations will be dealt with firmly,” said Prasad, adding that the commission had received around 2.21 lakh EVMs against its requirement of 2.56 lakh.

About 2 lakh ballot boxes will be used in the elections to elect sarpanchs and panchs to make up for the absence of EVMs with desired specifications.

Of the total representatives for PRIs, there will be 8,072 mukhiyas, 1,13,307 panchayat members, 11,104 panchayat samiti members, 1160 zila parishad members, 8,072 gram kutchery sarpanch and 1,13,307 gram kutchery panchs.