Patna: Apprehending large scale law and order problems during the forthcoming Assembly election in Bihar, major political parties on Monday appealed to the Election
Commission to deploy central forces at all booths in the state.
"We have urged the EC to deploy central forces at all polling booths for conduct of a free and fair polls later this year. It does not matter as to in how many phases the polls take place," JD(U) leaders Mithilesh Kumar Singh and Ashok Kumar Singh told reporters after submitting a memorandum to Chief Election Commissioner SY Qureshi here.
It could be in three, four or even five phases but the poll authorities must ensure adequate deployment of paramilitary forces at each booth, they said.
JD(U)`s ally BJP, however, urged the EC to consider holding the Assembly polls in one phase, if possible. But if it decides to hold the polls in multiple phases, poll dates
should not clash with festivals, BJP leader Kiran Ghai said.
The BJP also asked the EC to set right various anomalies in the voters lists and said alternative proof of identity should be allowed for larger voters` turn out.
The opposition RJD/LJP alliance sought deployment of the central forces at all polling booths so that the voters of poor and backward communities should not be browbeaten by the `muscle-men of the ruling coalition`.
They also urged the EC to remove certain officers, transferred recently in their posts recently, from poll duties.
Publication of paid news in a section of the media found mention in the memorandum of the JD(U) and the CPI, which urged the EC to monitor such practice.
