In advance of the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections on November 6, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar emphasized that the Election Commission would not accept any form of violence during the election process. Speaking at his alma mater, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, Kumar encouraged voters to engage actively in the democratic process and assured that the Commission has implemented all necessary measures to guarantee peaceful voting throughout the state. His remarks followed the arrest of JD(U) candidate Anant Singh from Mokama in connection to the alleged murder of Dularchand Yadav, a campaign worker for Jan Suraaj candidate Piyush Priyadarshi.
In response to this incident, the Election Commission mandated the transfer of several officials in Mokama and requested a detailed report from the Bihar DGP. Kumar reiterated the Commission’s neutrality, stating that there is no difference between the ruling and opposition parties; all are treated equally. He expressed confidence that the forthcoming Bihar elections would be conducted fairly and transparently, setting a global standard. Bihar is set to hold elections in two phases, on November 6 and November 11, with results to be revealed on November 14.