How Prepared Are the Bihar Elections? ECI Reviews in Champaran

Patna, May 17 (NationPress) In a crucial effort to enhance electoral readiness ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, Election Commissioner of India (ECI) Vivek Joshi undertook a thorough review of election preparations during his visit to the districts of East and West Champaran on Saturday.

Joshi initiated his visit in Motihari (East Champaran), where he evaluated the First Level Checking (FLC) center. He scrutinized the progress of the EVM/VVPAT verification process, engaging with engineers from Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) and examining technical protocols.

Eighteen ECIL engineers have been stationed at the FLC center since May 2, with operations anticipated to wrap up by May 24.

This process is being conducted in strict compliance with ECI regulations and in the presence of representatives from various recognized political parties, including the BJP, JD(U), RJD, Congress, LJP(R), CPI(M), CPI(ML), BSP, and AAP.

Subsequently, Joshi presided over a high-level review meeting at the district headquarters in Bettiah (West Champaran) to assess the current state of election readiness.

The meeting included Chief Electoral Officer Vinod Singh Gunjiyal, District Election Officer Dinesh Kumar Rai, senior police and administrative officials, along with ECI nodal officers.

The District Election Officer presented crucial electoral data during this session.

In his directives, CEO Gunjiyal stressed the importance of ensuring minimum facilities at all polling stations, adequate accommodations for security personnel, and timely preparations for the Special Summary Revision 2025.

Joshi highlighted the necessity for accessibility in remote and forested polling areas. Out of the 2,731 polling stations in the district, 2,423 are located in rural areas, while 308 are situated in urban zones.

He mandated that all stations must be well-equipped to facilitate voter convenience.

Joshi expressed concern regarding the low registration rates among youth aged 18-19 years, revealing that merely 29,897 out of an estimated 2,04,162 have registered, indicating a deficit of 85 percent.

He ordered a special registration initiative, involving Nehru Yuva Kendra, Electoral Literacy Clubs, campus ambassadors, and educational institutions. QR codes for the Voter Helpline App will be prominently displayed to simplify digital registration.

The Commissioner also tackled the gender disparity in the electoral roll, where the sex ratio is reported at 892, in contrast to the census figure of 909.

He instructed officials to implement targeted campaigns to ensure comprehensive enrollment of eligible women voters, thereby promoting both gender equity and increased voter turnout.

Labeling the electoral roll as a dynamic document, Joshi stressed the importance of promptly removing names of deceased voters and maintaining up-to-date records.

He underscored the urgency and time-sensitive nature of electoral tasks, urging officials to operate with integrity, efficiency, and impartiality.

While West Champaran exceeded the state average of 56.28 percent voter turnout in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections with a turnout of 60.59 percent, it still fell short of the national average of 66.10 percent.

Joshi called for heightened micro-level SVEEP (Systematic Voter’s Education and Electoral Participation) activities, informed by insights from previous elections, to further enhance turnout.

Following the review meeting, Joshi visited Polling Station No. 207 at Primary School Inarwa, Sikta Assembly Constituency, where he engaged directly with the polling officer and assessed on-site preparations.