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Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad on Monday expressed his hopes that the Election Commission of India (ECI) will strictly enforce the right to vote and conduct free and fair elections in the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls. The ECI is set to announce the election schedule today at 4 pm.
"I hope the Election Commission will strictly enforce the right to vote given to the people in the Constitution. The Constitution will be protected, democracy will be protected, and I hope the Election Commission will conduct free and fair elections... I hope the voters will initiate the change of power," Awadhesh Prasad told ANI. The ECI will announce the Bihar Assembly election schedule at 4 pm today, with the term of the current Assembly ending on November 22, 2025. Political parties have requested that elections be held soon after the Chhath festival to boost voter turnout. The ECI has introduced new measures to enhance transparency and integrity, including capping the number of voters per polling station at 1,200. The ECI has announced that 100% webcasting will be implemented at every polling station, and upgraded EVM Ballot Papers will be used to enhance clarity and readability. Booth-level officials will carry identity cards for easier identification, and voters can deposit their mobile phones outside the polling booth. Meanwhile, JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha welcomed the announcement of the poll schedule and expressed confidence that voters would support the ruling alliance based on its performance. "We welcome it. Elections are a festival of democracy, and the public will vote based on the work done in Bihar in the past 20 years. The public has made up its mind to vote for the double-engine government... We have a strong track record of serving the people of the state," Jha said. Also reacting to the upcoming polls, Congress leader Akhilesh Prasad Singh expressed optimism about the Mahagathbandhan's chances of returning to power. "The Congress party and Mahagathbandhan are fully prepared... All are ready to form a government under the leadership of the Mahagathbandhan," he said. The Election Commission of India is scheduled to hold a press conference at 4 PM today, where it is expected to announce the schedule for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. Currently, the NDA holds 131 seats -- BJP (80), JD(U) (45), HAM(S) (4), and 2 Independents -- while the Mahagathbandhan controls 111 seats, comprising RJD (77), Congress (19), CPI(ML) (11), CPI(M) (2), and CPI (2). The Bihar Assembly elections are expected to witness a direct contest between the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and the Mahagathbandhan, spearheaded by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). (ANI)
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