PATNA: Over 16.7 lakh electors’ names have been deleted in Bihar ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, according to the Election Commission of India. Of them, 8 lakh voters had shifted to other locations, 2.3 lahks had their names in electoral rolls from different places and 6.3 lahks are dead.
Briefing media persons after three-day visit to the state, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said that 7.7 lakh voters’ names have been included in the electoral rolls after they attained the age of 18 years. The total number of first-time voters (aged between 18 and 19 years) stood at 9.26 lakh in the state.
He, however, clarified that the names of those people who would attain the age of 18 years before the election will be included in the list. The election commission has received 74,000 applications from young Indians who would become eligible to exercise their franchise between January and April 2024.
Bihar has a total of 7.64 crore electors. Of them, around 4 crore are male and 3.64-crore are female. The number of electors between the age of 20 and 29 years are 1.6-crore.
“The role of young voters will be significant in the 2024 general elections,” the CEC told media.
He said the number of new electors increased due to a campaign launched by the commission, under electoral literacy club.
“There is a concerted effort to-enhance the voting percentage in the state as it was the second lowest after Jammu-and Kashmir,” the CEO revealed.
The commission has also taken several initiatives to enhance participation of women-voters. For the purpose, altogether 243 polling booths in the state would-be managed by female personnel in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
In addition, 100%-enrolment of tribals has been ensured in the state. The commission has also made arrangements for collecting the votes of senior citizens from their houses.
“This experiment was done during 2020 assembly polls-in Bihar. The same facility will be made available for senior citizens in the 2024 general elections,” he added.
The CEC said that he held meetings with senior officials of the state police and the central agencies to ensure an inducement free election.
“The officials have-been asked to perform their duty without any prejudice. They have already been alerted about their duty during the election,” he said.