Bihar polls: EC rolls out 17 new initiatives for assembly election; to be adopted nationwide
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Sunday announced the introduction of 17 new initiatives ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar, adding that these measures are intended not only to enhance the electoral process in the state but also to serve as models for nationwide implementation in the future.
“17 new initiatives have been successfully implemented in Bihar, some will be implemented in the conduct of elections, and some in counting,” CEC Kumar said.
Addressing a press conference in Patna at the conclusion of his visit to Bihar, Kumar outlined some of the key initiatives, including a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that aims to ensure delivery of EPIC (Elector Photo Identity Cards) within 15 days of voter registration. Additionally, a mobile deposit facility will be available at polling booths to streamline the voting process.
Bihar has become the first state in the country where every polling station will now serve fewer than 1,200 voters, following a significant move by the Election Commission aimed at easing voter access and reducing queue lengths.
As part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the previous cap of 1,500 voters per booth has been lowered to 1,200, prompting the addition of 12,817 new polling stations and raising the total count from 77,895 to 90,712.