There are over 4 lakh voters from these categories across 71 assembly seats in the first phase

In the run-up to the Bihar Assembly polls, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has recognised over 52,000 voters who have opted to vote through postal ballots. The voters belong to the senior citizen group above 80 years of age and Persons with Disabilities (PwD) categories.

The commission, in a statement, has informed that these voters are from 71 assembly constituencies voting in phase 1 on October 28.

According to the statement, these electors will be provided postal ballots on pre-informed dates by the Returning Officers with proper security and videography arrangements to ensure secrecy, safety, and transparency in the process.

ECI data suggests that there are over 4 lakh voters across the 71 Assembly Constituencies of Bihar belonging to senior citizen and PwD categories. The commission said that the remaining voters have chosen to vote in the polling booths on the day of voting.

“Booth Level Officers of 71 Assembly Constituencies in Bihar have reached out to more than four lakh such electors. Remaining electors intend to visit the booth on the poll day for voting,” the commission said in the statement.

ECI, amid rising concerns for the conduct of polls during COVID-19, on October 3 directed all booth level officers to visit houses of the electors to find out the number of people who might be interested in using the facility. The concerned voters were asked to give their choice through Form 12-D.

The commission said that exercise will continue in bye-elections in all the other states and the officers will visit around 12 lakh such electors’ homes in Bihar in the next two phases for this purpose.

The top electoral body on September 25 announced the conduct of the Bihar Assembly polls in three phases on October 28, November 3 and November 7 across the 71 constituencies of Bihar. The counting will be done on November 10.