Ahead of assembly election, RJD demands insurance cover for voters in Bihar election

Ahead of the Bihar Assembly election, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has demanded life insurance coverage for voters if they contract coronavirus infection during the election. This remarks from the opposition came after Election Commission released fresh guidelines for the Bihar assembly elections scheduled in October-November this year amid the coronavirus pandemic.

RJD, who has been opposing election during the ongoing pandemic has also said the election commission guidelines needed numerous clarifications.

RJD MP Manoj Jha while speaking to ANI has said that "insurance coverage for voters should be given to voters as they are the main people in election and if the Election Commission does not clarify its guidelines, then there might be a dip in polling by up to 30 or 32 per cent".

Furthermore, BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Thakur said that the Election commission is looking after every possible suggestion and many new decisions will be implemented to protect voters from getting infected with COVID-19. 

READ: Bihar: CM Nitish Kumar asks officials to increase RT-PCR tests

Guidelines issued for elections in Bihar during COVID-19 and Flood

The EC awaits the suggestions of different political parties on the same. However, on Friday the EC approved broad guidelines for the conduct of the elections and by-polls during COVID-19. 

The candidates indulging in the elections can fill the form, affidavit, and pay the fee online to follow social distancing. Under these guidelines, only 5 people including the candidate will be allowed for the door-to-door campaign. Gloves and masks will be provided to the electors for signing on the voter register and pressing the button of EVM voting. The maximum number of electors allowed at a time is 1000 at the polling station, unlike 1500 last year. There will also be a restriction on the number of people accompanying the voter and the vehicles parked at the time of nomination. 

READ: Direct EC to hold Bihar polls till state is declared COVID-19, flood-free: Petition in SC

Bihar assembly elections 

Bihar is going to polls in October-November this year. As BJP lost in Delhi, all eyes are set on former party chief Amit Shah and Nitish Kumar -led JDU. While Kumar faces strong anti-incumbency, RJD - Bihar's main opposition has lost the luster it once had due to the absence of it's chief Lalu Prasad Yadav.  However, RJD's Tejashwi Yadav has been amplifying its attack against the BJP government and has been portrayed as the CM candidate of the Mahagathbandhan. Meanwhile, former JDU vice president Prashant Kishor has also claimed that he is working at 'ground level' for the development of Bihar.  In a twist of sorts, London-based Pushpam Priya Choudhary, the daughter of JDU leader Binod Choudhary, on March 8 declared herself as the Chief Ministerial candidate.

In the 2015 assembly polls, CM Nitish Kumar's JDU, then a part of the Mahagathbandhan won 71 seats, Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD won 80 seats, and Congress won 27 seats. The BJP which fought the elections alone after Kumar in 2013 broke the 17-year-old alliance won a mere 53 seats out of 157 contested. However, the saffron party came back to power when Kumar ditched the Mahagathbandhan and once again stitched an alliance with the BJP.

READ: Ex-Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi quits Mahagathbandhan ahead of polls, blames Lalu's RJD

READ: Woman drowns, girl missing as boat capsizes in Bihar

(with inputs from ANI)