A delegation from the Election Commission of India (ECI), led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, arrived in Patna on Friday to assess the preparations for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. The team includes Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi. Typically, the Election Commission visits election-bound states shortly before announcing the election schedule. The current term of the Bihar Assembly concludes on November 22, necessitating that elections be conducted before this date.

The Election Commission commenced its visit by meeting representatives from 12 recognized political parties in the state. Sharing updates on social media, the Commission stated, "A delegation led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi, has arrived in Patna today to review the electoral preparations for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections."

According to a press release cited by a news agency, prior to their visit, the Election Commission conducted a briefing for general, police, and expenditure observers who will be deployed as central observers for the Bihar Assembly elections and some by-elections. This meeting, held at IIDEM in New Delhi, included a total of 425 officials, comprising 287 IAS officers, 58 IPS officers, and 80 officers from various services such as IRS, IRAS, and ICAS.

While addressing the observers, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar referred to them as the "beacons of democracy." He instructed the central observers to familiarize themselves with all election laws, rules, and guidelines, provide direct regional insights, and ensure strict and impartial compliance. Observers were also advised to be readily available to address complaints from political parties, candidates, and voters, and to visit polling stations to ensure the implementation of recent initiatives aimed at facilitating voters.