Bihar – The high-stakes Bihar assembly election moved a step closer with the CEC Patna Visit, as Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar arrived in the state capital on Friday evening. Accompanied by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, he is scheduled to lead a comprehensive review of poll preparedness, law and order arrangements, and electoral roll integrity over the next two days. The CEC Patna Visit comes just days after the publication of the final electoral roll, prepared through a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) lasting three months.
High-Level Arrival in Patna
The CEC Patna Visit began with Gyanesh Kumar’s arrival at Jay Prakash Narayan Airport late Friday. His team, including the two Election Commissioners, is tasked with ensuring that Bihar is fully prepared to host a smooth and credible election. The timing of the visit has raised expectations that the official announcement of the assembly polls could come soon, with the Election Commission determined to signal its readiness.
Engagement with Political Parties
One of the key highlights of the CEC Patna Visit will be Saturday’s meeting with representatives of various registered political parties. This dialogue is crucial for building confidence among stakeholders and addressing concerns about electoral transparency. Leaders from the ruling alliance and the opposition INDIA bloc are expected to present sharply contrasting perspectives during this interaction, making the discussions pivotal.
Review of Law and Order
The CEC Patna Visit will also include a detailed session with police and administrative officials from all districts of Bihar. This meeting is designed to assess law and order conditions, security requirements, and logistical arrangements to prevent disruptions during the polling process. Ensuring peaceful elections in Bihar, where political campaigns often witness intense rivalries, is one of the key objectives of the visit.
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Talks with Top Bureaucracy
Later in the day, the election team will meet with the Chief Secretary, Director General of Police, and other top officials of the state. The CEC Patna Visit places significant emphasis on coordination between the Election Commission and the state machinery. Such high-level engagements are expected to streamline decision-making, remove bottlenecks, and ensure accountability at every stage of the election.
Final Electoral Roll Under Scrutiny
The CEC Patna Visit comes in the backdrop of the publication of Bihar’s final electoral roll, a process undertaken through Special Intensive Revision. The revision, spread over three months, aimed to eliminate inaccuracies and ensure a cleaner voter list. However, the exercise has become a flashpoint, with different political parties offering divergent narratives on its credibility.
NDA’s Support for Revision
The ruling NDA has welcomed the revision, framing it as necessary for purging the voter list of irregularities. During the CEC Patna Visit, NDA leaders are likely to reiterate their position that the SIR was critical to prevent illegal entries. They have even alleged that illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and Rohingya from Myanmar had managed to get their names included previously. The revision, they argue, strengthens the democratic process.
INDIA Bloc’s Concerns
On the other hand, the opposition INDIA bloc views the SIR with suspicion. Their leaders claim that the revision has been misused to delete genuine voters’ names, thereby facilitating “vote theft” in favor of the BJP-led coalition. Senior Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar has stated that the Election Commission must ensure no wrongful deletions have taken place. During the CEC Patna Visit, these concerns are expected to dominate opposition submissions.
Disproportionate Deletions Alleged
CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, one of the petitioners before the Supreme Court, has highlighted potential gender disparities in voter deletions. According to him, a disproportionate number of female voters may have been removed from the rolls. Questions have also been raised about how many foreign nationals were actually identified and deleted during the revision. The CEC Patna Visit thus provides a critical platform for these grievances to be raised directly with the Election Commission.
Symbolism of the Visit
Beyond the technical reviews, the CEC Patna Visit carries symbolic weight. By arriving with his full team, the Chief Election Commissioner is signaling the Commission’s commitment to ensuring free, fair, and transparent polls in Bihar. It reassures the electorate that their voices will not be undermined by discrepancies or malpractices.
Looking Ahead
As Bihar gears up for what promises to be one of the most closely watched elections in recent years, the CEC Patna Visit sets the stage for the final countdown. With meetings across political parties, bureaucrats, and police authorities, the Commission aims to close loopholes and reinforce confidence. Whether the concerns over the voter list are adequately addressed remains to be seen, but the outcome of this visit will play a defining role in shaping perceptions of electoral fairness in Bihar.
