'Wasn't Possible Before Nov 6': Poll Body On Early Election Demand In Bihar

Amid demands by political parties to hold Bihar assembly polls immediately after Chhath festival, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Monday said November 6 was "perhaps" the earliest elections that could be held in Bihar.

He said during their interaction with the Election Commission in Patna on Saturday, parties had demanded holding polls soon after Chhath to ensure greater voter participation.

Immediately after returning from Bihar, the Commission announced the polls. Keeping in mind the notification, nomination period and time for canvassing, "perhaps holding polls before this was not possible," he told a press conference to announce the poll schedule.

Bihar will go to polls in two phases on November 6 and 11 and votes will be counted on November 14 to decide the fate of the ruling NDA government led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the challenge posed by the opposition bloc comprising the RJD and Congress among others.

Political parties in poll-bound Bihar told the Election Commission on Saturday to hold assembly elections "immediately after" the Chhath festival to ensure increased voter participation.

Chhath, an important festival in Bihar that is celebrated six days after Diwali, will fall on October 25-28 this year.

In an interaction with Chief Election Commissioner Kumar and Election Commissioners S S Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, representatives of six national and as many state parties also pressed for holding elections in a minimal number of phases.

People employed outside return home for Diwali and Chhath and if polls are held in that period, the voter participation goes up. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)