The Election Commission on Monday announced that elections to the 243-member Bihar Legislative Assembly will be held in six phases — on October 21, 24, 28, November 1, 9 and 20. The counting of votes is scheduled for November 24.
The Commission also announced the date for the by-election in the Banka Lok Sabha constituency. The vacancy was caused following the death of the former Union Minister, Digvijay Singh, (Independent) on June 24. The poll will be held on November 1 when the six Assembly constituencies in the Lok Sabha segment go to polls in the fourth phase.
Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi, briefing the media here on Bihar polls along with Election Commissioners V.S. Sampath and Harishankar Brahma, said over 5,50,88,402 electors were eligible to exercise their franchise through 56,943 polling stations. The model code of conduct comes into effect immediately and would apply to all candidates, political parties, the Union and the State governments.
Notification
The notification for the first phase would be issued on September 27 and that for the sixth phase on October 27.
The election process would end by November 26 and the term of the present Assembly would expire on November 27.
Thirty-eight seats were reserved for the Scheduled Castes and two for the Scheduled Tribes, he said.
Over 89 per cent of the voters were covered in the photo electoral rolls and 82.65 per cent issued Electoral Photo Identity Cards.
