NDA, Opposition on same page over holding polls in max 2 phases

PATNA: Both the ruling NDA and Opposition parties in Bihar Saturday demanded that the Election Commission (EC) hold assembly elections in a maximum of two phases and immediately after the Chhath festival to increase participation of voters. Representatives of all parties submitted their suggestions before a three-member EC team, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, during a review meeting held in Patna. They also demanded free, fair and peaceful elections. BJP state president Dilip Jaiswal said his party has demanded holding of polls in a maximum of two phases. We have also urged the EC to ensure the identification of burqa-clad women voters by officials so that genuine voters get to exercise their franchise, Jaiswal said. BJPs major ally JD(U), however, advocated for holding elections in a single phase. JD(U) state president Umesh Kushwaha said, Our party has suggested that the assembly elections should be held in single phase. Kushwaha said his party has urged the EC to announce the election schedule soon after the Chhath festival so that the voters coming from outside the state could cast their votes. A delegation of RJD led by Abhay Kushwaha urged the EC to disclose details of the 3.66 lakh people whose names were deleted from the final voter list. The party urged the poll panel to restrict the NDA from making populist announcements without budgetary allocation. We have asked the EC to put check on personal attacks at political rivals during campaign, Kushwala told the media. RJDs ally Congress demanded details of people whose names were either removed or added after the publication of draft electoral rolls. We have come across multiple discrepancies in the final voter list, Congress state chief Rajesh Ram said. Our apprehensions about removal of a large number of women voters from voter list also proved true, Ram said. Former union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras-led Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) advocated a single-phase election. RLJP leader Pramod Kumar said that elections should not be extended more than two phases. As the law and order is a big issue, the law enforcing agencies must be asked to tighten the noose around trouble- makers before the election, he said. Union minister Chirag Paswans Lok Janshakti Patty (Ram Vilas) also suggested holding of elections in not more than two phases. BSP leader Suresh Rao said his party has also suggested to give relaxation in publication of criminal records of candidates in newspapers. It becomes expensive for the poor candidates to public criminal records in three different newspapers, he added. The ECI team, comprising Gyanesh Kumar and election commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, and Bihars chief electoral officer Vinod Gunjiyal later held a separate meeting with senior government officials and knew about preparedness for the election. BJP to launch 'Sujhav Yatra' to get people's feedback on manifesto for Bihar polls