Bihar MLC Elections: RJD Leaders Meet Chief Electoral Officer Over Vote Counting Concerns

A team of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders on Monday handed over a detailed memorandum to the Bihar Election Commission, asking for "ironclad protection" against any irregularities in the votes that will be cast on Tuesday for the eight seats in the state assembly.

The party delegation, headed by Maner MLA Bhai Virendra, reached the office of chief electoral officer (CEO) and gave it a 10-point charter of demands. The RJD leaders had voiced apprehension in the face of the possibility of manipulation during counting and demanded transparency.

Also Read: PM Modi Opens ₹150 Crore Arvind Limited Textile Manufacturing Plant in Varanasi

The RJD delegation submitted its memorandum to the CEO, Bihar, even as the Congress party is mounting its offensive against the chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the allegation of “vote chori” and launched a massive campaign against the election commission’s alleged design to manipulate the voting. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had also pointed his guns against the BJP and the CEC on charges of vote tampering in favour of ruling dispensation in Bihar and other states that he was here on Sunday.

Specific reasons given were that information on the invalid votes should be communicated to the candidates and agents of each candidate at the beginning of the counting; and the pens used in the polling should not be left in the hands of any counting official. The memorandum highlighted that it is imperative that no administrative interference should be caused at any stage of the process.

Four graduates' constituencies (Patna, Darbhanga, Tirhut and Kosi) and four teachers' constituencies (Patna, Darbhanga, Tirhut and Saran) are covered by the exercise. A poll took place on October 23. Preliminary results indicated that 43.87% of the graduates were in their seats, while 74.55% of the teachers were present.

Also Read: Rahul Gandhi Expected to Appear Before UP Special MP/MLA Court on October 26

The sitting members of the council are due for counting today (Tuesday), and their term of office will expire on November 16.

The multi-cornered aspects of the fights have been a point of interest with the contests. All the three are in the fray – the ruling NDA, the opposition Mahagathbandhan (MGB) and Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party (JSP). The race has been further complicated in the high-profile Patna graduates' area as the JD(U) is divided between Anant Singh who has pledged his support to a rival candidate of JSP over the party's own candidate.

Opposition leaders had already made allegations of mis-use of administrative machinery and voter impersonation during the polling. Tejashwi Yadav had in the past alleged that the government was slowing down the voting process to allow “vote theft.” The memorandum was the first formal response the RJD had taken to put these concerns on record before the important counting day which is expected to occur on Monday.

Election officials have insisted the process will be carried out according to the commission's guidelines and be closely monitored. These eight seats will be closely monitored because of the results they will deliver as an early sign of political dynamics in the state.

Also Read: Trump Warns of Potential New US Strikes on Iran as Diplomatic Deal Remains Possible