EC gears up for Bihar poll dates, announcement likely on October 6

NEW DELHI: With the final electoral roll for Bihar set to be published on Sept 30, the Election Commission will immediately start the warm-up for announcement of assembly poll dates, starting with a meeting with poll observers on Oct 3 and a visit by the full commission to the state on Oct 4 and 5. This is likely to be followed by a meeting with the Union home secretary to finalise the logistics relating to deployment of central forces for poll security. Given that the aforesaid engagements are penultimate formalities before announcement of the poll dates, the EC may hold the press conference soon after to release the Bihar poll schedule, possibly as early as Oct 6 or 7. There have been precedents when the meeting with the home secretary was done on the same as the poll announcement.