Bihar Polls Set a New Benchmark: ECI Hails Its Best-Ever Performance

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The Election Commission of India (ECI) has lauded its own performance in conducting the recent Bihar assembly polls, calling it the 'best ever'. The two-phase elections saw a record voter turnout of 67.13%, with women accounting for 71.6% and men 62.8%. The special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, removed 2.2 million deceased voters and 3.6 million people who were no longer eligible to vote. The SIR process, which began in Bihar, had been a contentious issue ahead of the polls, with opposition parties staging protests and alleging bias. However, ECI officials maintain that the process followed established protocol and was conducted as a routine revision before elections. The final electoral roll featured 74.2 million people, with no appeals filed during the SIR process. This has been hailed as a major achievement by the ECI, with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar saying that Bihar has 'shown the way to the nation'. The opposition Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) have been critical of the SIR process, alleging that it was biased against them. Despite these criticisms, the ECI has defended its actions, saying that the SIR was necessary to ensure the integrity of the electoral rolls. The absence of repolls and the high voter turnout are seen as evidence of a well-conducted election. The outcome of the polls, which saw the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secure a landslide victory, has been widely attributed to the SIR process. While opposition parties have questioned the fairness of the election, the ECI remains confident in its performance, saying that it has set a new benchmark for future elections.