Bihar elections: India conducts first major poll since beginning of coronavirus pandemic

The first phase of polling for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bihar-elections-2020-pm-modi-urges-voters-to-vote-safely-follow-pandemic-rules-338464">Bihar</a> assembly elections passed off peacefully on Wednesday as an estimated 54.26 per cent of nearly 2.15 crore eligible voters exercised their franchise, marginally lower than in 2015, as the coronavirus scare failed to impact the turnout.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bihar-election-2020-technical-snag-glitches-in-75-evms-hassle-voters-in-phase-1-polling-338531">Also Read:&nbsp;Technical snag, glitches in 75 EVMs hassle voters in phase 1 polling</a>

The polls were held in 71 constituencies spread across 16 districts amid tight security and strict COVID-19 regulations in place. According to the Election Commission's Voter Turnout App, the provisional polling percentage was 54.26 that was updated till 10 PM.

The Chief Electoral Officer's office said in Patna that the voter turnout in the 2015 election in these 16 districts was 54.75 per cent.

Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said in Delhi that the voter turnout in phase one was 54.94 per cent in the 2015 assembly polls, while in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections the corresponding figure was 53.54 per cent.

Election Commission secretary general Umesh Sinha told reporters in Delhi that the "projected" voter turnout is expected to exceed the last assembly and the Lok Sabha poll figures. 
This was the first major poll held in the country amid the raging COVID-19 pandemic and the poll time increased by an hour till 6 pm to allow suspected or confirmed coronavirus patients to vote in the last hour.

Polling went beyond 6 PM in some constituencies, while the voting hours were curtailed in Naxal-affected areas and ended at 4 pm after beginning at 7 am.

Out of the 16 districts which went to polls, 12 are hit by Left-wing extremism, a senior poll panel official said.

"And out of the 12, four are considered as extreme Left-Wing affected," the official said in Delhi, expressing satisfaction at the smooth conduct of the exercise.

Of the nearly 2.15 crore electors eligible to exercise the franchise, 1.12 crore were male, 1.01 crore female and 599 were categorised as third gender, according to data provided by the Election Commission.

As many as 1,066 candidates are in the fray in the first phase of the poll.

The prominent candidates whose electoral fate has been locked in the EVMs are Shreyasi Singh, a CWG gold medallist shooter, and six members of the outgoing cabinet -- Prem Kumar (Gaya Town), Vijay Kumar Sinha (Lakhisarai), Ram Narayan Mandal (Banka), Krishnanandan Prasad Verma (Jehanabad), Jaikumar Singh (Dinara) and Santosh Kumar Nirala (Rajpur).

Deputy Election Commissioner in-charge of EVMs said in Delhi that the functioning of electronic voting machines was "very satisfactory" during the polling.

A minuscule 0.22 per cent of the total 41,689 ballot units, 0.25 per cent of the total 31,371 control units and 1.28 per cent of the total 31,371 paper trail machines were replaced due to malfunctioning, the officer said.

In 12 polling stations of Jamui, the poll timing was increased by one hour due to the delay in replacing the faulty machines, he said. 
One control unit and at least one ballot unit makes for one EVM.

Deputy Election Commissioner in charge of Bihar Chandra Bhushan Kumar said in Delhi that overall cash seizure in Bihar so far stood at Rs 46.11 crore including foreign currency worth Rs 89.30 lakh.

Across all 16 districts that went to poll on Wednesday, voters were seen queuing up at polling stations since early morning and COVID-19 norms were largely followed with people wearing masks and maintaining a safe distance from each other.

At a polling station in Jalpura village of Bhojpur district, there were not many voters around 3.15 pm when a PTI reporter went to cast his ballot, but plastic hand gloves were strewn all around, used and discarded by electors.

Hand sanitisers were kept at the entrance and the exit gates of the booth. Some people, however, were seen without a face mask.

"We have hand gloves, but some people are refusing to wear," said Angad Kumar, the presiding officer of one of the four booths at the polling station.

A 55-year-old polling agent died of heart attack in Nawada district. Officials said Krishna Singh was deployed at booth number 258 in Foolawa village of Hisua assembly constituency.

They said Singh complained of severe heart pain and was rushed to the Sadar Hospital where doctors declared him dead.

As many as 159 people were detained as a preventive measure during the polling, the election panel said.

The first phase of polling for the Bihar assembly elections passed off peacefully on Wednesday as an estimated 54.26 per cent of nearly 2.15 crore eligible voters exercised their franchise, marginally lower than in 2015, as the coronavirus scare failed to impact the turnout.

The first phase of polling for the Bihar assembly elections passed off peacefully on Wednesday as an estimated 54.26 per cent of nearly 2.15 crore eligible voters exercised their franchise, marginally lower than in 2015, as the coronavirus scare failed to impact the turnout. Also Read: Technical snag, glitches in 75 EVMs hassle voters in phase 1 polling The polls were held in 71 constituencies spread across 16 districts amid tight security and strict COVID-19 regulations in place. According to the Election Commission's Voter Turnout App, the provisional polling percentage was 54.26 that was updated till 10 PM. The Chief Electoral Officer's office said in Patna that the voter turnout in the 2015 election in these 16 districts was 54.75 per cent. Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said in Delhi that the voter turnout in phase one was 54.94 per cent in the 2015 assembly polls, while in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections the corresponding figure was 53.54 per cent. Election Commission secretary general Umesh Sinha told reporters in Delhi that the "projected" voter turnout is expected to exceed the last assembly and the Lok Sabha poll figures. This was the first major poll held in the country amid the raging COVID-19 pandemic and the poll time increased by an hour till 6 pm to allow suspected or confirmed coronavirus patients to vote in the last hour. Polling went beyond 6 PM in some constituencies, while the voting hours were curtailed in Naxal-affected areas and ended at 4 pm after beginning at 7 am. Out of the 16 districts which went to polls, 12 are hit by Left-wing extremism, a senior poll panel official said. "And out of the 12, four are considered as extreme Left-Wing affected," the official said in Delhi, expressing satisfaction at the smooth conduct of the exercise. Of the nearly 2.15 crore electors eligible to exercise the franchise, 1.12 crore were male, 1.01 crore female and 599 were categorised as third gender, according to data provided by the Election Commission. As many as 1,066 candidates are in the fray in the first phase of the poll. The prominent candidates whose electoral fate has been locked in the EVMs are Shreyasi Singh, a CWG gold medallist shooter, and six members of the outgoing cabinet -- Prem Kumar (Gaya Town), Vijay Kumar Sinha (Lakhisarai), Ram Narayan Mandal (Banka), Krishnanandan Prasad Verma (Jehanabad), Jaikumar Singh (Dinara) and Santosh Kumar Nirala (Rajpur). Deputy Election Commissioner in-charge of EVMs said in Delhi that the functioning of electronic voting machines was "very satisfactory" during the polling. A minuscule 0.22 per cent of the total 41,689 ballot units, 0.25 per cent of the total 31,371 control units and 1.28 per cent of the total 31,371 paper trail machines were replaced due to malfunctioning, the officer said. In 12 polling stations of Jamui, the poll timing was increased by one hour due to the delay in replacing the faulty machines, he said. One control unit and at least one ballot unit makes for one EVM. Deputy Election Commissioner in charge of Bihar Chandra Bhushan Kumar said in Delhi that overall cash seizure in Bihar so far stood at Rs 46.11 crore including foreign currency worth Rs 89.30 lakh. Across all 16 districts that went to poll on Wednesday, voters were seen queuing up at polling stations since early morning and COVID-19 norms were largely followed with people wearing masks and maintaining a safe distance from each other. At a polling station in Jalpura village of Bhojpur district, there were not many voters around 3.15 pm when a PTI reporter went to cast his ballot, but plastic hand gloves were strewn all around, used and discarded by electors. Hand sanitisers were kept at the entrance and the exit gates of the booth. Some people, however, were seen without a face mask. "We have hand gloves, but some people are refusing to wear," said Angad Kumar, the presiding officer of one of the four booths at the polling station. A 55-year-old polling agent died of heart attack in Nawada district. Officials said Krishna Singh was deployed at booth number 258 in Foolawa village of Hisua assembly constituency. They said Singh complained of severe heart pain and was rushed to the Sadar Hospital where doctors declared him dead. As many as 159 people were detained as a preventive measure during the polling, the election panel said.

Bihar elections 2020: First phase voter turnout over 54% amid peaceful polling

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Thursday released the BJPs manifesto for the Bihar assembly polls which promised free COVID-19 vaccine once it has been cleared by the ICMR.

It also sought to reach out to the youth with the promise of 19 lakh jobs in the next five years and farmers with the assurance of bringing lentils under the MSP regime.

"The NDA government in Bihar has set an example before the country in the fight against corona. It's our resolve that once the vaccine against the coronavirus has been cleared by the ICMR, we will make it available to the people of Bihar free of cost," said the manifesto. The promise figured at the top of the BJP's election document.

Carrying the tagline 'BJP hai to bharosa hai', the party drew heavily upon the trust enjoyed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi among the masses by virtue of pro-people measures like the Jan Dhan scheme and the Ujjwala Yojana.

"Bihar is a politically sensitive state. Here people cannot be fobbed off with empty promises. Claims made by parties are likely to be weighed against their past track record. This is where the BJP scores," Sitharaman told a press conference where she released the manifesto.

"We have the confidence that we can deliver on our promises. In the last six years, all the programmes announced by the prime minister have been implemented, be it electrification of villages, gas cylinders for poor women or financial inclusion of all citizens by getting accounts opened in their name in banks," she asserted.

Speaking about the coronavirus vaccine, the minister said India has reached a point where it is on the verge of producing three vaccines after different stages of trial.

"When we reach the stage where scientists give clearance for large-scale production of the vaccine, we will make it available to the people of Bihar free of cost," she said.

The highlights of the party's vision document, displayed through a power point presentation, include recruitment of three lakh teachers in primary, secondary and higher educational institutions.

The party also proposed to develop the state, which has so far remained largely untouched by the boom in information technology, into an IT hub holding out the promise of five lakh jobs in the sector.

The manifesto also said a large number of people will be provided employment in the health sector which is in for a major facelift through projects like the AIIMS at Darbhanga.

Other attractive promises include self-reliance for one crore women through micro finance, pucca houses for 30 lakh people, and a boost to fisheries making Bihar number one in the sector.

It also promised a fresh impetus to the dairy sector with setting up of 15 milk processing units.

A boost to production of maize, fruits, vegetables, betel leaves, honey and makhana etc. Has been promised, and to facilitate these a conglomerate of 1,000 farm producer organisations has also been proposed.

Yet another promise made in the manifesto which is likely to find resonance among students is introducing Hindi as a medium of instruction for medical, engineering and other technical courses.

"Our promises are backed by credibility. Compare the situation in Bihar between 1990 and 2005 (when the RJD was in power) with the changes that occurred after we took over. You will get a clear picture," Sitharaman said.

"During the NDA rule, the state's growth rate in the industrial sector has been 17 per cent. In contrast, we are unable to find the figures for the preceding 15 years, apparently because industries were never on the radar of the previous government," she remarked with a smirk.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Thursday released the BJPs manifesto for the Bihar assembly polls which promised free COVID-19 vaccine once it has been cleared by the ICMR.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Thursday released the BJPs manifesto for the Bihar assembly polls which promised free COVID-19 vaccine once it has been cleared by the ICMR. It also sought to reach out to the youth with the promise of 19 lakh jobs in the next five years and farmers with the assurance of bringing lentils under the MSP regime. "The NDA government in Bihar has set an example before the country in the fight against corona. It's our resolve that once the vaccine against the coronavirus has been cleared by the ICMR, we will make it available to the people of Bihar free of cost," said the manifesto. The promise figured at the top of the BJP's election document. Carrying the tagline 'BJP hai to bharosa hai', the party drew heavily upon the trust enjoyed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi among the masses by virtue of pro-people measures like the Jan Dhan scheme and the Ujjwala Yojana. "Bihar is a politically sensitive state. Here people cannot be fobbed off with empty promises. Claims made by parties are likely to be weighed against their past track record. This is where the BJP scores," Sitharaman told a press conference where she released the manifesto. "We have the confidence that we can deliver on our promises. In the last six years, all the programmes announced by the prime minister have been implemented, be it electrification of villages, gas cylinders for poor women or financial inclusion of all citizens by getting accounts opened in their name in banks," she asserted. Speaking about the coronavirus vaccine, the minister said India has reached a point where it is on the verge of producing three vaccines after different stages of trial. "When we reach the stage where scientists give clearance for large-scale production of the vaccine, we will make it available to the people of Bihar free of cost," she said. The highlights of the party's vision document, displayed through a power point presentation, include recruitment of three lakh teachers in primary, secondary and higher educational institutions. The party also proposed to develop the state, which has so far remained largely untouched by the boom in information technology, into an IT hub holding out the promise of five lakh jobs in the sector. The manifesto also said a large number of people will be provided employment in the health sector which is in for a major facelift through projects like the AIIMS at Darbhanga. Other attractive promises include self-reliance for one crore women through micro finance, pucca houses for 30 lakh people, and a boost to fisheries making Bihar number one in the sector. It also promised a fresh impetus to the dairy sector with setting up of 15 milk processing units. A boost to production of maize, fruits, vegetables, betel leaves, honey and makhana etc. Has been promised, and to facilitate these a conglomerate of 1,000 farm producer organisations has also been proposed. Yet another promise made in the manifesto which is likely to find resonance among students is introducing Hindi as a medium of instruction for medical, engineering and other technical courses. "Our promises are backed by credibility. Compare the situation in Bihar between 1990 and 2005 (when the RJD was in power) with the changes that occurred after we took over. You will get a clear picture," Sitharaman said. "During the NDA rule, the state's growth rate in the industrial sector has been 17 per cent. In contrast, we are unable to find the figures for the preceding 15 years, apparently because industries were never on the radar of the previous government," she remarked with a smirk.

BJP's Bihar poll manifesto promises free COVID vaccine, 19L jobs

Officials made record seizures worth Rs 35.26 crore as part of the expenditure monitoring process during the Bihar Elections 2020, according to the Election Commission on Tuesday. A press statement from the Election Commission said, "For effective monitoring to curb black money in General Election to Legislative Assembly of Bihar, 2020, Election Commission of India has deployed 67 expenditure observers in the state of Bihar.

Commission has also has appointed Madhu Mahajan, ex-IRS(IT):1982 and BR Balakrishnan, ex-IRS(IT):1983, officers having formidable domain expertise and impeccable track record, as special expenditure observers for general election to legislative assembly of Bihar, 2020."The apex poll body said that after due assessment, 91 assembly constituencies were marked as expenditure sensitive constituencies for more focused monitoring.

As many as 881 flying squads and 948 static surveillance teams have been formed for election expenditure monitoring work for the assembly elections of Bihar. On expenditure monitoring, commission has convened various meetings with senior officials of Bihar and neighbouring states.

It said that distributing cash and gifts during electoral process is not permitted under the law, e.g., distribution of money, liquor, or any other item disbursed and given to the electors with the intent to influence them. This expenditure comes under the definition of "bribery" which is an offence both under 171B of IPC and under RP Act, 1951.

The expenditure on such items is illegal.According to the Election Commission, details of record seizures already done so far (as on 19 October 2020)- compared to a total of Rs 23.81 cr in Assembly Elections 2015 are as follows: Assembly Elections, 2020 (Upto October 19, 2020) Rs 35.26 crores plus Rs 79.85 lakh (Nepali currency). In Assembly elections 2015, Rs 23.81 crores.

Officials made record seizures worth Rs 35.26 crore as part of the expenditure monitoring process during the Bihar Elections 2020, according to the Election Commission on Tuesday.

Officials made record seizures worth Rs 35.26 crore as part of the expenditure monitoring process during the Bihar Elections 2020, according to the Election Commission on Tuesday. A press statement from the Election Commission said, "For effective monitoring to curb black money in General Election to Legislative Assembly of Bihar, 2020, Election Commission of India has deployed 67 expenditure observers in the state of Bihar. Commission has also has appointed Madhu Mahajan, ex-IRS(IT):1982 and BR Balakrishnan, ex-IRS(IT):1983, officers having formidable domain expertise and impeccable track record, as special expenditure observers for general election to legislative assembly of Bihar, 2020."The apex poll body said that after due assessment, 91 assembly constituencies were marked as expenditure sensitive constituencies for more focused monitoring. As many as 881 flying squads and 948 static surveillance teams have been formed for election expenditure monitoring work for the assembly elections of Bihar. On expenditure monitoring, commission has convened various meetings with senior officials of Bihar and neighbouring states. It said that distributing cash and gifts during electoral process is not permitted under the law, e.g., distribution of money, liquor, or any other item disbursed and given to the electors with the intent to influence them. This expenditure comes under the definition of "bribery" which is an offence both under 171B of IPC and under RP Act, 1951. The expenditure on such items is illegal.According to the Election Commission, details of record seizures already done so far (as on 19 October 2020)- compared to a total of Rs 23.81 cr in Assembly Elections 2015 are as follows: Assembly Elections, 2020 (Upto October 19, 2020) Rs 35.26 crores plus Rs 79.85 lakh (Nepali currency). In Assembly elections 2015, Rs 23.81 crores.

Record seizures worth over Rs 35 cr made during Bihar polls

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday condoled the death of Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, stating that he was an efficient administrator who worked closely with him and was an important Dalit leader face in the Central government of many parties.

In his condolence letter to Ram Vilas Paswan`s son, Chirag Paswan, who is an MP from Jamui in Bihar and is the chief of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), the former Prime Minister said,&nbsp;

"I have learnt with profound sorrow about the passing away of your beloved father. He was an important Dalit leader face in the Central government of many parties.

"Recalling his stint with Ram Vilas Paswan from 2004 to 2014 during the United Progressive Alliance 1 and 2 governments at the Centre, Singh said, "I have very warm recollections of my association with him as a member of the UPA government which I led in 2004. The veteran socialist leader was also a very efficient administrator who worked very closely with me as a Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers, and also served as Minister in various ministries."

The veteran Congress leader said Ram Vilas Paswan was a mass leader with a wide popularity, which was evident from the fact that he won Parliament elections with a record majority from his constituency.

"He was also a leader who was loved and respected by all irrespective of their political leniency. In his death, the country has lost one of its greatest Dalit and socialist leaders, who always stood for the cause of poor and downtrodden of the scoiety," he said.Earlier today, the mortal remains of Paswan were taken to his residence in New Delhi from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), where he breathed his last on Thursday.

The Union Minister, who hailed from Bihar, passed away at the age of 74. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President JP Nadda, and several senior leaders paid tribute to the late leader at his residence in the national capital.&nbsp;

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday condoled the death of Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, stating that he was an efficient administrator who worked closely with him and was an important Dalit leader face in the Central government of many parties.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday condoled the death of Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, stating that he was an efficient administrator who worked closely with him and was an important Dalit leader face in the Central government of many parties. In his condolence letter to Ram Vilas Paswan`s son, Chirag Paswan, who is an MP from Jamui in Bihar and is the chief of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), the former Prime Minister said, "I have learnt with profound sorrow about the passing away of your beloved father. He was an important Dalit leader face in the Central government of many parties. "Recalling his stint with Ram Vilas Paswan from 2004 to 2014 during the United Progressive Alliance 1 and 2 governments at the Centre, Singh said, "I have very warm recollections of my association with him as a member of the UPA government which I led in 2004. The veteran socialist leader was also a very efficient administrator who worked very closely with me as a Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers, and also served as Minister in various ministries." The veteran Congress leader said Ram Vilas Paswan was a mass leader with a wide popularity, which was evident from the fact that he won Parliament elections with a record majority from his constituency. "He was also a leader who was loved and respected by all irrespective of their political leniency. In his death, the country has lost one of its greatest Dalit and socialist leaders, who always stood for the cause of poor and downtrodden of the scoiety," he said.Earlier today, the mortal remains of Paswan were taken to his residence in New Delhi from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), where he breathed his last on Thursday. The Union Minister, who hailed from Bihar, passed away at the age of 74. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President JP Nadda, and several senior leaders paid tribute to the late leader at his residence in the national capital.

Ram Vilas Paswan was efficient administrator, stood for cause of poor, downtrodden: Manmohan Singh

The Election Commission of India on Friday announced the assembly election dates of one of the largest states Bihar.&nbsp;

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora said more than 700,000 hand santisers, 600,000 PPE kits, 670,000 units of face-shields and 2.3 million pair of hand gloves have been arranged for the polls.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-reports-86052-new-cases-as-total-infections-near-6-million-mark-330100">India reports 86,052 new cases as total infections near 6 million-mark</a>

The election will be in three phases and the voting for the first phase will be on October 28, with the declaration of results on November 10.&nbsp;

The voting for the second and third phase will be on November 3 and 7 respectively.

The election commission said in the first stage, voting will be held for 71 seats, followed by next stages where polling will take place for 94 and 78 seats.&nbsp;

The election commissioner also said the candidates can file their nomination online and the security money can also be transferred in online mode.&nbsp;

The door-to-door campaigning is also restricted to three people and not more than a convoy of five cars can be used for campaigning.&nbsp;

Also, only 1,000 voters will be allowed to cast their vote at a polling station, which was earlier 1,500.&nbsp;

He also said Covid-19 patients will also be able to cast their vote on the last day of voting at their respective polling stations under the supervision of health authorities. He said this facility is provided to them apart from the the option of postal ballot already extended to such people.&nbsp;

Earlier, the apex court on Friday refused to postpone the upcoming Bihar elections in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;

The Election Commission of India on Friday announced the assembly election dates of one of the largest states Bihar. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora said more than 700,000 hand santisers, 600,000 PPE kits, 670,000 units of face-shields and 2.

The Election Commission of India on Friday announced the assembly election dates of one of the largest states Bihar. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora said more than 700,000 hand santisers, 600,000 PPE kits, 670,000 units of face-shields and 2.3 million pair of hand gloves have been arranged for the polls. Also read | India reports 86,052 new cases as total infections near 6 million-mark The election will be in three phases and the voting for the first phase will be on October 28, with the declaration of results on November 10. The voting for the second and third phase will be on November 3 and 7 respectively. The election commission said in the first stage, voting will be held for 71 seats, followed by next stages where polling will take place for 94 and 78 seats. The election commissioner also said the candidates can file their nomination online and the security money can also be transferred in online mode. The door-to-door campaigning is also restricted to three people and not more than a convoy of five cars can be used for campaigning. Also, only 1,000 voters will be allowed to cast their vote at a polling station, which was earlier 1,500. He also said Covid-19 patients will also be able to cast their vote on the last day of voting at their respective polling stations under the supervision of health authorities. He said this facility is provided to them apart from the the option of postal ballot already extended to such people. Earlier, the apex court on Friday refused to postpone the upcoming Bihar elections in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.

India gears up for first election amid pandemic as dates for Bihar Assembly polls announced

Union Power&nbsp;Minister RK Singh on Thursday said that the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir will be one of the political issues in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections due to be held before November 29 this year.&nbsp;

Speaking to ANI, RK Singh said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised earlier that Article 370 will be scrapped from Jammu and Kashmir and he scrapped it last year. No doubt that this will be one of the political issues in the Bihar Assembly election for BJP.

Arrah Lok Sabha MP RK Singh further stated that Article 370 was removed because it increased Jammu and Kashmir`s isolation from the country.

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"Our Prime Minister worked to provide electricity in most of the houses of the country. The Prime Minister further decided that every household will be given a gas connection and most of the poor people have been given a gas connection. Did any other Prime Minister think on these lines?" Singh questioned.&nbsp;

"The Prime Minister decided that he will give pucca houses to every poor and are providing. A total of 1,40,00,000 houses were built. The public knows that six months of free food grains were provided, funds were made available in the Jan Dhan account," he added.

Bihar has 243 Assembly seats and elections in the state are expected in October-November as the tenure of the current Assembly will end on November 29 this year. Election Commission has not yet taken a final call on poll dates in Bihar.

Union Power Minister RK Singh on Thursday said that the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir will be one of the political issues in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections due to be held before November 29 this year.

Union Power Minister RK Singh on Thursday said that the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir will be one of the political issues in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections due to be held before November 29 this year. Speaking to ANI, RK Singh said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised earlier that Article 370 will be scrapped from Jammu and Kashmir and he scrapped it last year. No doubt that this will be one of the political issues in the Bihar Assembly election for BJP. Arrah Lok Sabha MP RK Singh further stated that Article 370 was removed because it increased Jammu and Kashmir`s isolation from the country. ALSO READ | India committed to peace, but prepared for all 'contingencies': Defence Minister warns China "Our Prime Minister worked to provide electricity in most of the houses of the country. The Prime Minister further decided that every household will be given a gas connection and most of the poor people have been given a gas connection. Did any other Prime Minister think on these lines?" Singh questioned. "The Prime Minister decided that he will give pucca houses to every poor and are providing. A total of 1,40,00,000 houses were built. The public knows that six months of free food grains were provided, funds were made available in the Jan Dhan account," he added. Bihar has 243 Assembly seats and elections in the state are expected in October-November as the tenure of the current Assembly will end on November 29 this year. Election Commission has not yet taken a final call on poll dates in Bihar.

Scrapping of Article 370 will be an issue in Bihar Assembly polls: RK Singh

As Bihar election approaches, the Election Commission of India has issued fresh guidelines in view of the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the state. The state elections are likely to be held between October and November since the term of the current legislative assembly ends on November 29.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lalu-targets-nitish-for-not-venturing-out-of-home-sushil-modi-hits-back-314128">Also Read:&nbsp;Lalu targets Nitish for not venturing out of home; Sushil Modi hits back</a>

The Bihar election will be first state polls to take place since the outbreak of coronavirus in India this year.

The Election Commission arrived at its guidelines after taking suggestions from various parties and chief electoral officers of various states. The EC has made it mandatory for all votes to wear masks with hand gloves to be provided to voters as they sign the register and press the EVM button.

The election body however informed that all voters would need to remove their masks for identification by officials at the time of voting.

According to EC's rule, maximum of &nbsp;1,000 voters can vote at a polling station and if a voter shows symptoms of coronavirus, the person would be given a token and would be asked to come and vote in the last hour of polling.

Also, just two people can accompany a candidate during nomination. India's poll watchdog has also laid down that only five people can campaign door-to-door, and has restricted the convoy for the roadshow to five vehicles only.

The EC has said that quarantined coronavirus patients will be allowed to vote in the last hour of voting which would be strictly supervised by health officials.

As Bihar election approaches, the Election Commission of India has issued fresh guidelines in view of the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the state. The state elections are likely to be held between October and November since the term of the current legislative assembly ends on November 29.

As Bihar election approaches, the Election Commission of India has issued fresh guidelines in view of the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the state. The state elections are likely to be held between October and November since the term of the current legislative assembly ends on November 29. Also Read: Lalu targets Nitish for not venturing out of home; Sushil Modi hits back The Bihar election will be first state polls to take place since the outbreak of coronavirus in India this year. The Election Commission arrived at its guidelines after taking suggestions from various parties and chief electoral officers of various states. The EC has made it mandatory for all votes to wear masks with hand gloves to be provided to voters as they sign the register and press the EVM button. The election body however informed that all voters would need to remove their masks for identification by officials at the time of voting. According to EC's rule, maximum of 1,000 voters can vote at a polling station and if a voter shows symptoms of coronavirus, the person would be given a token and would be asked to come and vote in the last hour of polling. Also, just two people can accompany a candidate during nomination. India's poll watchdog has also laid down that only five people can campaign door-to-door, and has restricted the convoy for the roadshow to five vehicles only. The EC has said that quarantined coronavirus patients will be allowed to vote in the last hour of voting which would be strictly supervised by health officials.

Election Commission of India issues COVID-19 guidelines for conduct of Bihar polls

The poll panel held a meeting on Tuesday regarding campaigning during a pandemic.

India's first polls amid pandemic | Bihar assembly tenure set to expire in November

India is gearing up to stage its first election since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. With more than 70 million voters the elections in Bihar will be the biggest elections to be held under the shadow of the pandemic.

Biggest election exercise in virus-hit South Asia: Pandemic looms over polls in Bihar

After Pushpam Priya Choudhary declared herself as Chief Ministerial candidate for the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, former Janata Dal (United) MLC Vinod Choudhary clarified that the party is not supporting her decision as she is challenging the top leadership.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/london-based-woman-declares-herself-cm-candidate-for-bihar-assembly-polls-285184">London-based woman declares herself 'CM candidate' for Bihar Assembly polls</a>

It is her decision to declare herself as the "Chief Ministerial candidate" and she is educated enough to decide for herself," Vinod Chaudhary told reporters here.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/why-nitish-kumars-jdu-expelled-prashant-kishor-and-pavan-varma-277573">Why Nitish Kumar's JD(U) expelled Prashant Kishor and Pavan Varma</a>

When asked about the support from the party, Chaudhary said, "Why will the party support me. They have no right to support. My daughter is challenging the top leaders of the party."

Pushpam Priya Choudhary, daughter of Vinod Chaudhary had on Sunday declared herself as the "Chief Ministerial candidate" for the Assembly elections in Bihar.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/lok-sabha-election-result-2019-in-a-first-lalu-prasad-yadav-led-rjd-draw-a-blank-in-bihar-221152">Lok Sabha election result 2019: In a first, Lalu Prasad Yadav led-RJD draw a blank in Bihar</a>

Priya, who belongs to Darbhanga but lives in London, announced the same in full-page advertisements that appeared in several Hindi and English newspapers in Bihar on Sunday.

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A poster of Janata Dal (United) leader Vinod Choudhary's daughter Pushpam Priya Choudhary declaring her as 'CM Candidate <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bihar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bihar</a> 2020' put up in Patna. <a href="https://t.co/GQ43EVhXUm">https://t.co/GQ43EVhXUm</a> <a href="https://t.co/n8qlUqNyUB">pic.twitter.com/n8qlUqNyUB</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1236894648678764544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Priya mentioned herself as the president of plurals and the CM candidate in the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections. Currently, Bihar is ruled by the BJP-JDU-LJP coalition headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.&nbsp;

After Pushpam Priya Choudhary declared herself as Chief Ministerial candidate for the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, former Janata Dal (United) MLC Vinod Choudhary clarified that the party is not supporting her decision as she is challenging the top leadership.

After Pushpam Priya Choudhary declared herself as Chief Ministerial candidate for the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, former Janata Dal (United) MLC Vinod Choudhary clarified that the party is not supporting her decision as she is challenging the top leadership. Also read: London-based woman declares herself 'CM candidate' for Bihar Assembly polls It is her decision to declare herself as the "Chief Ministerial candidate" and she is educated enough to decide for herself," Vinod Chaudhary told reporters here. Also read: Why Nitish Kumar's JD(U) expelled Prashant Kishor and Pavan Varma When asked about the support from the party, Chaudhary said, "Why will the party support me. They have no right to support. My daughter is challenging the top leaders of the party." Pushpam Priya Choudhary, daughter of Vinod Chaudhary had on Sunday declared herself as the "Chief Ministerial candidate" for the Assembly elections in Bihar. Also read: Lok Sabha election result 2019: In a first, Lalu Prasad Yadav led-RJD draw a blank in Bihar Priya, who belongs to Darbhanga but lives in London, announced the same in full-page advertisements that appeared in several Hindi and English newspapers in Bihar on Sunday. A poster of Janata Dal (United) leader Vinod Choudhary's daughter Pushpam Priya Choudhary declaring her as 'CM Candidate #Bihar 2020' put up in Patna. https://t.co/GQ43EVhXUm pic.twitter.com/n8qlUqNyUB — ANI (@ANI) March 9, 2020 × Priya mentioned herself as the president of plurals and the CM candidate in the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections. Currently, Bihar is ruled by the BJP-JDU-LJP coalition headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

JDU not supporting my daughter as she is challenging top leaders, says Vinod Chaudhary

Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Tuesday said that he is not a candidate for chief minister`s post in the state and now the time has come for him to retire from politics.

"I am not a candidate for the chief minister`s post in Bihar. Now the time has come for me that I should bid adieu to politics," Singh told ANI.

In a nostalgic tone, the Minister for Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries said, "I saw a great leader like Narendra Modi becoming the Prime Minister of the country."

In reference to abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, Singh said, "When I joined politics, I came with the call for the integration of Kashmir with India. For the same our ideologue Syama Prasad Mookerjee gave up his life."

"Slowly all our wishes are getting fulfiled and I hope it will continue in the future. And after that what is the scope left for me to remain in politics," he added.&nbsp;

Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Tuesday said that he is not a candidate for chief minister`s post in the state and now the time has come for him to retire from politics.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Tuesday said that he is not a candidate for chief minister`s post in the state and now the time has come for him to retire from politics. "I am not a candidate for the chief minister`s post in Bihar. Now the time has come for me that I should bid adieu to politics," Singh told ANI. In a nostalgic tone, the Minister for Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries said, "I saw a great leader like Narendra Modi becoming the Prime Minister of the country." In reference to abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, Singh said, "When I joined politics, I came with the call for the integration of Kashmir with India. For the same our ideologue Syama Prasad Mookerjee gave up his life." "Slowly all our wishes are getting fulfiled and I hope it will continue in the future. And after that what is the scope left for me to remain in politics," he added.

Not a candidate for Bihar's CM post, time has come for me to retire: Giriraj Singh

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