Election Commissioner Dr Vivek Joshi Reviews Bihar 2025 Poll Preparations in Champaran Districts

Motihari/Bettiah: In a crucial step towards strengthening preparations for the Bihar Assembly General Elections 2025, Election Commissioner of India, Dr. Vivek Joshi, conducted a visit to East Champaran and West Champaran districts today. Beginning his tour in Motihari (East Champaran), Dr. Joshi inspected the First Level Checking (FLC) center, where he closely examined the EVM/VVPAT checking process. He interacted with engineers from Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), reviewed technical procedures, and issued necessary directions to ensure strict adherence to the guidelines of the Election Commission of India.

Currently, 18 ECIL engineers have been working on the FLC process at Motihari since May 2, with the entire operation scheduled to conclude by May 24.

The entire FLC procedure is being carried out in accordance with ECI guidelines and protocols, in the presence of representatives from recognized political parties. During the Commissioner’s inspection, district representatives from BJP, JD(U), RJD, Congress, LJP(R), CPI(M), CPI(ML), BSP and Aam Aadmi Party were present.

Review meeting in West Champaran

Following the inspection, Dr. Joshi proceeded to the district headquarters in Bettiah (West Champaran), where he chaired a review meeting to assess the status of election preparedness. The meeting was attended by Chief Electoral Officer Vinod Singh Gunjiyal, District Election Officer Dinesh Kumar Rai, Range Deputy Inspector General of Police Harkishore Rai, Bettiah Superintendent of Police Shaurya Suman, Bagaha Superintendent of Police Sushant Kumar Saroj, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Ashok Priyadarshi, State Media & Nodal Officer Kapil Sharma, along with other senior officials.

The meeting commenced with a PowerPoint presentation by the District Election Officer, who shared key election-related statistics of the district. Chief Electoral Officer Gunjiyal instructed officials to ensure the availability of all assured minimum facilities at polling stations, proper accommodation for security forces, smooth accessibility to booths located in forested areas, and timely preparedness for the Special Summary Revision 2025.

While reviewing election preparations in West Champaran district, Election Commissioner Dr. Vivek Joshi directed that all 2,731 polling stations in the district — including 308 in urban areas and 2,423 in rural areas — must be equipped with all minimum required facilities. He particularly emphasized ensuring smooth accessibility to polling stations located in forested areas.

Expressing concern over the low voter registration among young voters, Dr. Joshi noted that out of an estimated 2,04,162 youth in the 18–19 age group, only 29,897 have been enrolled in the electoral roll — reflecting a shortfall of approximately 85%. To bridge this gap, he instructed officials to launch a special voter registration drive. He emphasized active involvement of Nehru Yuva Kendra, Electoral Literacy Clubs (ELC), campus ambassadors, and local educational institutions. Additionally, QR codes of the Voter Helpline App will be displayed in prominent public spaces to encourage youth to register.

During the presentation, it was also revealed that while the district’s census-based sex ratio is 909, it is only 892 in the electoral roll. To correct this imbalance, officials were directed to carry out a special campaign to ensure that all eligible women voters are enrolled. Dr. Joshi remarked that this effort will not only strengthen gender inclusion but also voter turn out in Bihar.

Stressing the highest priority on the accuracy of the electoral roll, he instructed all officials to promptly delete the names of deceased voters. He clearly stated that the electoral roll is a dynamic document that must be continuously updated in a timely manner, and this responsibility rests with every election functionary.

Dr. Joshi also highlighted the time-sensitive nature of election-related work, urging all stakeholders, officers and staff involved in the election process to discharge their responsibilities with utmost integrity and within set timelines. This, he said, is essential to ensure that elections are conducted in a transparent, efficient, and impartial manner.

He placed special emphasis on increasing voter turnout. While the average voter turnout in Bihar during the 2024 Lok Sabha General Election was 56.28%, West Champaran recorded a higher turnout of 60.59%. Expressing satisfaction with this, he noted that although this figure surpasses the state average, it still falls short of the national average of 66.10%. Therefore, the district must make special efforts to improve voter turnout in the upcoming Assembly General Elections. To this end, extensive micro-level SVEEP (Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation) activities will be undertaken, incorporating lessons learned from past elections.

In conclusion, Dr. Joshi stressed the need for robust preparations at all levels to make the 2025 General Election more seamless, inclusive, and transparent, drawing from the experiences of the 2020 and 2024 general elections. He also directed that all personnel associated with the election process be given appropriate training to enhance their capabilities and ensure continual improvement in the quality of the election process.

Inspection of Polling Station

Following the district-level review meeting in Bettiah, the Election Commissioner inspected Polling Station No. 207, located at Primary School Inarwa, in the Sikta Assembly Constituency. During the visit, he interacted with the polling station officer present and gathered information about the ongoing election-related activities and the preparation of the electoral roll.

As the next phase of the visit, a meeting will be held tomorrow, March 18, 2025, in Valmikinagar with officials from the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and the Forest Department.