The Election Commission has announced the dates for Assembly elections in Bihar. Announcing the poll schedule in New Delhi yesterday, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said the elections will take place in three phases starting from the 28th of next month. The counting will take place on the 10th of November. He said the model code of conduct has now come into effect. 

The Chief Election Commissioner said the number of phases for the 243-member Bihar assembly polls has been reduced keeping in mind the security arrangements and the festive season. Voting time has been extended by one hour till 6 PM and COVID-19 patients will vote in the last hour of the day.  

The Chief Election Commissioner said, the number of polling booths has been increased to ensure social distancing and the norms will have to be followed at public gatherings during the poll campaign. The number of people accompanying a candidate for submission of nomination has been restricted to two, while door-to-door campaign can have maximum five people including the candidate.
The Election Commission has also created an optional facility to fill the nomination form and affidavit online and submission of the same, after taking a print, before the Returning Officer concerned. For the first time, the candidates will have the option to deposit a security amount online for contesting the elections.

Mr. Arora said that seven lakh hand sanitiser points, 46 lakh masks, 6 lakh PPE kits, 6.7 lakh face shields, 23 lakh pairs of hand gloves have been arranged in the wake of COVID pandemic. He said, the Election Commission has made elaborate arrangements for ensuring the effective implementation of MCC guidelines.