ECI strengthens post-poll scrutiny process for Bihar Assembly polls

ECI's new instructions on post-poll scrutiny of Form 17A aim to boost transparency. The process was smoothly conducted for Phase-I of the Bihar polls, with no malpractices found and no repolls recommended.

ECI Strengthens Post-Poll Scrutiny

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued consolidated instructions on the post-poll scrutiny of Form 17A (Register of Voters) and other poll-day documents to strengthen transparency and detect even subtle malpractices at polling stations and recommend for repolls if required. All candidates were informed in advance about the date, time, and venue of the scrutiny, it stated in a release.

Accordingly, scrutiny of documents was conducted smoothly in all 121 Assembly Constituencies (ACs) which went to polls in Phase-I of the Bihar Assembly elections in the presence of 121 Returning Officers (RO) and 121 General Observers (GO) appointed by the Commission. "Around 455 candidates or their agents also participated in the scrutiny process," the poll body noted.

The release added that after scrutiny, no discrepancy/malpractice was found at any of the Polling Station and no re-poll was recommended in Phase-I of the Bihar Legislative Assembly elections. "The entire process was videographed and after scrutiny, Forms 17A and related materials were re-sealed with the RO's seal," it noted

Record Turnout in Phase-I

Meanwhile, the first phase of the assembly elections in Bihar concluded peacefully on Thursday with a record voter turnout of 64.66 per cent, the highest-ever in the state's history. The voting percentage in 2000 was 62.57 per cent. Of the 45,341 polling booths in Bihar, the voter turnout of 64.46 per cent is based on data from 41,943 booths. The Bihar CEO said that the final data will be available in due course.

The voting was held on 121 seats spread across 18 districts, and a total of 3.75 crore voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in the first phase of polls. The second phase of assembly polls will be held on November 11, and the votes will be counted on November 14. (ANI)

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