The Election Commission successfully held Assembly polls in Bihar, one of India’s most populous states despite the COVID-19 pandemic and is now preparing to conduct polls in states and union territories as per schedule next year, its chief Sunil Arora said summing up 2020.
The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) pointed out that the exercise involved nearly 7.3 crore voters and over 1.06 lakh polling stations.
“We were able to conduct a COVID-safe election, with a voter turnout of 57.34 per cent, which was higher than the 56.8 per cent turnout recorded during the previous election in 2015,” Arora told PTI.
This was also an election marked by enthusiastic participation of women voters, who outnumbered men at the polling booths, he said.
The facility of postal ballots was extended to citizens above the age of 80 years and persons with disability.