Poll preparedness: EC likely to visit Bihar in first week of October

New Delhi: The Election Commission led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is likely to visit Patna in the first week of October to take stock of poll preparedness in Bihar.

The term of the 243-member legislative assembly ends on November 22 and assembly polls in the key state are likely to be held in November.

It is usual for the poll authority to visit states before announcing the election schedule.

Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar is in the final stages of preparation and a final electoral roll will be published on September 30.

The Commission meets representatives of political parties, top police and administrative officials, and its state poll officials while reviewing election readiness.

The SIR, taking place after a gap of over two decades, has come under sharp criticism from opposition parties who have claimed that it will disenfranchise crores of genuine citizens of their voting rights.

The Commission has asserted that it will not allow any eligible citizen to be left out of the voter list and at the same time not let any ineligible person be on the list.