The full bench of the Election Commission will meet on August 25 in New Delhi after the return of Chief Election Commissioner S Nasim Zaidi to discuss the Bihar assembly polls.
Zaidi is on a foreign tour. The meeting is about the number of phases, dates of the polls and the deployment of Central Forces.
Insiders indicate that the Bihar polls may be held in five or six phases and is likely to be held from the third week of October to the first week of November.
There are eight festivals on different dates during this period, which will have an impact on the polling dates or the counting day.
Therefore, adjustments of possible poll dates will be done with the assistance of all political parties since religion and caste sentiments are important when polling dates are decided.
All political parties in Bihar have demanded CRPF, CISF and BSF forces for the polls. At least 85 to 100 assembly segments are categorised as left-wing extremist areas and securing these segments is priority on the agenda.
Union Home Secretary L C Goyal has categorically told the Election Commission that the deployment of Bihar Police cannot be avoided and the dependence on Central Forces should be minimised as they need to be deployed to border areas. This comes especially in the aftermath of the Naga accord.
The deployment of CRPF in the four north-eastern states and Jammu and Kashmir are extremely important.
The full bench of the EC will authorise two deputy election commissioners to hold informal meetings with the Director General of Police of CISF, CRPF and BSF on the requirement of battalions.
This meeting is crucial for identifying crises areas -- how to conduct polls free of money power, muscle power, political murders, Naxal and caste conflicts.
On August 12, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar announced a seat sharing formula for Bihar -- 100 each seats to RJD and JDU and 40 seats for the Congress.
