New Delhi, Sep 27 (IANS) Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, will visit Bihar on October 4 and 5 to review preparations for the upcoming Assembly elections, officials said on Saturday.

The high-level visit will take place just days after the publication of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR)-based final electoral roll in the state, scheduled for release on September 30.

The current term of the 243-member Bihar Assembly ends on November 22, making elections in the politically significant state imminent.

According to officials, the Election Commission (EC) team will hold meetings with senior state officials to take stock of administrative, security, and logistical arrangements for the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls.

It is customary for the poll authority to visit a state to assess ground readiness before announcing the election schedule.

Speculation is rife that once the EC team returns to Delhi after its Bihar tour, the formal announcement of the Assembly elections could follow within days.

The SIR of the voter list, being conducted in Bihar after more than two decades, has triggered sharp criticism from opposition parties.

They have alleged that the exercise could disenfranchise crores of genuine voters.

The Commission, however, has rejected these allegations, asserting that the revision exercise is aimed at ensuring greater accuracy.

Notably, based on past trends, the poll panel is expected to conduct the elections in three to four phases, though the exact number will depend on security and logistical considerations.

The challenge is compounded by the upcoming festival season, with Diwali and Chhath scheduled during the same period, requiring careful planning to avoid disruption for voters.

In the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, voting was held in three phases — October 28, November 3, and November 7 — with results declared on November 10.

In 2015, the polls were spread over five phases between October 12 and November 5.

In 2010, elections were held in six phases, and the first phase was held on October 21 and concluded on November 20.

In February 2005, Bihar witnessed a three-phase election, followed by another three-phase election in October 2005.

The CEC’s visit signals that the announcement of poll dates is imminent, likely in early October.

–IANS

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