The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced an extension of voting timing in 1,700 polling stations across four parliamentary seats in Bihar: Banka, Madhepura, Khagaria, and Munger. This extension is in response to rising temperatures in the state and aims to facilitate smooth polling and potentially increase voter turnout. The new polling hours will be from 7 am to 6 pm, two hours longer than the usual polling time of 7 am to 6 pm in most parts of the country. In some remote areas and constituencies affected by Left-wing extremism, polling typically ends two hours earlier to enable the smooth movement of polling parties. The ECI’s decision applies to the next three phases of parliamentary polls in Bihar. In the Banka constituency, the extended polling hours will be in effect for the Katoria and Belhar assembly segments, which will go to polls on April 26. In Madhepura, the Mahishi assembly segment will have the extended polling hours, with voting scheduled for May 7. The Khagaria constituency will see the extension in the Simri Bakhtiyarpur, Alauli, and Beldaur assembly segments, also on May 7. Finally, in Munger, the Suryagarha assembly segment will have the extended polling hours for the fourth phase of polls on May 13. The ECI’s decision is based on the observed rise in temperature, which is considered a probable factor affecting voter turnout. In the first phase of polling in Aurangabad, Gaya, Nawada, and Jamui on April 19, the voter turnout dropped by 4.21% to 49.26% compared to 53.47% in 2019. The ECI hopes that the extended polling hours will encourage more voters to participate in the upcoming phases of the parliamentary polls in Bihar.
ECI Extends Polling Time by Two Hours in 1,700 Polling Stations of Four Bihar Constituencies
