MLC elections: RJD leaders meet Bihar CEO with ‘concerns’ on counting of votes today

With counting of votes for the eight Bihar legislative council seats due on Tuesday, a delegation of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders on Monday submitted a detailed memorandum to the state election office, seeking ironclad safeguards against any possible irregularities.RJD MLAs Bhai Birendra, Ranvijay Sahu and others show a letter after meeting the Chief Electoral Officer in Patna on Monday. (Santosh Kumar/HT)The party delegation led by Maner MLA Bhai Virendra reached the chief electoral officer’s (CEO) office and handed over a 10-point charter of demands. The RJD leaders expressed apprehension over the possibility of manipulation during the counting process and insisted on complete transparency.The RJD delegation submitted its memorandum to the CEO, Bihar, even as the Congress party is mounting its offensive against the chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the allegation of “vote chori” and launched a massive campaign against the election commission’s alleged design to manipulate the voting. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who was here on Sunday, had also trained his guns over the BJP and the CEC on the charges of stealing votes in favour of the ruling dispensation in Bihar and in other states.Among the specific points raised were that details of invalid votes must be shared with candidates and their agents at the outset, and that the pens used during polling should not remain in the possession of any counting official. The memorandum stressed that every stage of the process must remain free from administrative interference.The exercise covers four graduates’ constituencies — Patna, Darbhanga, Tirhut and Kosi — and four teachers’ constituencies — Patna, Darbhanga, Tirhut and Saran. Polling was held on October 23. Provisional figures put turnout at 43.87% in the graduates’ seats and a significantly higher 74.55% in the teachers’ seats.Counting is scheduled for today (Tuesday), with the terms of the sitting members ending on November 16.The contests have drawn particular attention because of the multi-cornered nature of the fights. The ruling NDA, the opposition Mahagathbandhan (MGB) and Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) are all in the fray. In the high-profile Patna graduates’ constituency, the contest has been further complicated by the open rift within the JD(U), with Mokama MLA Anant Singh backing a rival candidate of JSP against the party’s official nominee.Opposition leaders had already alleged misuse of administrative machinery and possible voter impersonation during polling. Tejashwi Yadav had accused the government of slowing down the voting process to facilitate “vote theft.” Monday’s memorandum is the latest formal step by the RJD to put these concerns on record ahead of the crucial counting day.Election officials have maintained that the process will be conducted strictly according to the commission’s guidelines and under close supervision. The outcome of these eight seats will be watched closely as an early indicator of political equations in the state.