Quraishi to review Bihar poll preparedness

Patna, Aug 9 (ANI): The Chief Election Commissioner, S.Y. Quraishi, will hold meetings with Divisional Commissioners, District Magistrates, Inspector Generals and Superintendents of Police here on Monday to assess the district wise status in the run up to the Bihar Assembly Polls.

During the meetings, Quraishi will discuss ways to ensure peaceful polling during the assembly elections.

He is also expected to hold talks with Bihar Chief Secretary and Director General of Police over the issue.

Meanwhile, the leaders of various political outfits have requested the Chief Election Commissioner to ensure deployment of central para military forces at every booth as also patrolling around sensitive and supersensitive booths for peaceful and impartial elections in the State.

It has been reported that the leaders of the Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Lok Janashakti Party (LJP), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Communist Party of India (CPI) and Communist Party of India (Marxist) CPI (M) have submitted their memoranda and apprised the Commission of their demand.

They have demanded the Commission that Bihar Chief Electoral Officer Sudhir Kumar Rakesh, Block Development Officers (BDOs), Cirle Officers, SAP personnel and employees appointed on contract be kept away from the polling day.

There are further reports that almost all the parties have favoured ban on voting by convicted persons.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) Team, which is on a two-day visit to Bihar to review poll preparedness, has already announced that it would consider factors like examination, monsoon, festivals, law and order and force requirement before finalizing the poll schedule.

The Bihar Government has already declared 28 Districts drought-hit.

Election Commissioner V S Sampath and Deputy Election Commissioner Vinod Zutshi accompany Quraishi on his Bihar visit.

The Commission will announce the dates for the assembly polls after reviewing the election preparedness. (ANI)