CEC to visit Bihar to take stock of poll preparedness

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora, flanked by his key officials, will be visiting Bihar on January 17 to take stock of the Lok Sabha poll preparedness in the State.

The CEC, during his two-day visit to Bihar, will hold a review meeting with the state election commission officials, besides the district magistrates (DMs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) of 38 districts.

Besides holding meeting with administrative officials, the CEC is likely to hold a separate meeting with representatives of different political parties.

Leaders like Mukesh Sahni (the self-proclaimed leader of Nishad community, who formed Vikasheel Insaan Party) and Sharad Yadav have floated new political parties.

The Chief Election Commissioner’s Bihar visit is significant in the sense that during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the state witnessed a six-phase election for the 40 Lok Sabha constituencies here.

The first phase of poll in Bihar started on April 10, while the sixth and last phase of election concluded on May 12, 2014.

“The poll bugle has been sounded with the visit of Election Commission officials. While we have finalised seat-sharing arrangement within the NDA constituents, the Mahagatbandhan leaders are beset with internal dissensions,” quipped a senior BJP functionary, who is likely to be fielded as an NDA nominee from North Bihar.

The Election Commission team will return to New Delhi on January 18.