Patna: For the first time in Bihar’s assembly elections, voters will be allowed to deposit their mobile phones at polling booths during the first phase of voting on Thursday. The Election Commission has set up dedicated counters outside polling stations to ensure mobile devices are kept away from voting compartments, where no equipment is permitted.
Across the 121 constituencies voting in phase one, all 45,341 polling booths have been equipped with basic amenities such as drinking water, electricity, toilets and ramps. Wheelchairs have also been arranged to support elderly and disabled voters.
Volunteers have been stationed at booths to assist those who require help. Each polling station will feature a help desk staffed by Booth Level Officers (BLOs), who will have access to an alphabetically arranged voter list. This system allows voters to quickly verify their details, including their name, serial number and EPIC-linked information.
In addition to accessibility measures such as ramps and wheelchairs, polling booths will provide Braille-enabled EVMs, separate queues for elderly and disabled voters, and transportation facilities for those who need assistance reaching polling locations.
Officials said the measures are intended to ensure smoother, more inclusive voting across the 18 districts participating in the first phase.
