Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar hopes to win a fourth term in polls due this month (File)
Amid concerns over large gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic, the Election Commission today reduced the maximum number of "star" campaigners allowed for each party ahead of Assembly elections due in Bihar later this month.
The poll body has revised this number from 40 to 30 for national and state parties and from 20 to 15 for unregistered political outfits. The poll body has also given political parties more time to submit their lists of "star" campaigners from seven days from date of notification to 10. Parties that have already submitted this list must revise and resubmit within the extended deadline.
In a letter to all chief electoral officers, the EC said concerns had been raised over large crowds at rallies addressed by "star" campaigners and clarifications had been sought on this matter.
"The matter was deliberated on today. After considering all facts and circumstances due to pandemic and keeping a balance between requirement of campaign by political parties, (the) Commission has decided to revise the norms of star campaigners," the letter said.
The poll body further said that requests for "star" campaigners to address rallies needed to be submitted to district poll authorities at least 48 hours prior to ensure that the necessary safety measures can be put in place.
Assembly polls in Bihar - the first large-scale voting exercise to be held during the Covid pandemic (the United States votes November 3) - will be spread over three phases starting October 28.
Results will be declared November 10.
Announcing the dates last month the Election Commission said several changes would be made to ensure voting takes place keeping in mind the central government's Covid management guidelines.
These changes include extended voting hours, no physical contact during campaigning, the use of masks and gloves during voting, and separate booths and voting hours for Covid-positive patients and those suspected of being infected.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, whose JDU heads a coalition in the state with the BJP, hopes to win a fourth term with the opposition RJD of jailed former chief minister Lalu Yadav and the Congress - his partners in the last election - challenging him.
The JDU-BJP combine has announced a seat-sharing deal - the JDU will contest 122 and the BJP 121. The opposition alliance has also announced a deal - the RJD will get 144 seats while the Congress gets 70 and Left parties contest 29.
Last year, in the national election, the Nitish Kumar-BJP-LJP combo won 39 of 40 seats in Bihar, demolishing the Tejashwi Yadav-led opposition and scoring a morale-booster before these state poll.