Election Commission faces bribery challenge in Bihar

New Delhi: The Election Commission will be using voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) in 36 of the 243 Assembly seats. VVPAT is a method of providing feedback to voters using a ballotless voting system. An EVM will have a small attachment to it, which after pressing the button for a desired candidate, will print that name on a paper. It will be stored inside the machine and can be used in case of any controversy over the final result. 

 

Considering left-wing extremism that affects parts of the state, the CEC said an assessment of central paramilitary forces was also going on. “Because this is a stand-alone election, I hope sufficient paramilitary forces will be made available. We will come out with a strategy on this. It is said to be the mother of all elections, if I can say so,” he said, adding that some states like Bihar faced three-four areas of major challenges. 

 

“We must ensure higher participation of voters and this is coupled with the fact that in some of these challenging states, the elections have to be free...means our voters in some pockets should not be intimidated, threatened and victimized.” 

 

Mr Zaidi said the second important challenge was to curb the abuse of money. He said bribing of voters, giving gifts and distribution of drugs and liquor were some of the manifestations of abuse of money power. Dubbing paid news as a “disease”, he said it was another manifestation of abuse of money power.