EC Bans Opinion, Exit Polls in 48-Hour Period Before Voting

The election commission on Wednesday banned dissemination of opinion and exit polls by the media in the 48-hour period before voting in the Bihar by-election on October 30.

The state will be conducting bypoll in Tarapur and Kusheshwar Asthan assembly constituencies. According to news agency ANI, a press release by the chief electoral officer stated, “The bypolls in Tarapur and Kusheshwar Asthan assembly constituencies are scheduled on October 30 and the election will start from 6 AM to 7.30 PM. Print and electronic media cannot disseminate opinion and exit polls 48 hours before the polling.”

Counting of votes are scheduled for November 2. A total of 17 candidates are in the fray for the by-election. The ruling NDA is seeking to retain both seats, which fell vacant after the death of their MLAs. The ruling alliance is faced with a feeble challenge from a scattered opposition.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U), which won both seats in the 2020 assembly election, has fielded candidates for Tarapur as well as the reserved Kusheshwar Asthan seats. Tarapur MLA Mewa Lal Chaudhary in the Covid-19 surge earlier this year.

The bid by JD(U) to retain the seat is being challenged by RJD’s Arun Kumar and Rajesh Mishra of the Congress.

In Kusheshwar Asthan, JD(U) has fielded Aman Bhushan Hazari, son of three-time MLA Shashi Bhushan Hazari whose death necessitated the bypoll. Congress has fielded Atirek Kumar, son of Ashok Ram who had fought on the party ticket in the assembly poll and finished runner-up. The RJD has fielded Ganesh Bharti.

The assembly poll was fought jointly by RJD and Congress. But it seems there is trouble in the alliance after RJD came out with an early announcement of candidates for both seats.

A high-voltage campaign is expected for the bypoll. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, who will be spearheading the his party’s campaign, has expressed hope that doctors in Delhi will permit his father Lalu Prasad to visit Bihar. The Congress, too, is looking forward to a spirited campaign in the backdrop of Kanhaiya Kumar’s recent induction into the party. The former JNU student, who is often perceived as a potential rival of Tejashwi, is expected to campaign for the party in both constituencies.

(With agency inputs)