The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday declared polls on April 4 to 24 local authority seats in the Bihar Legislative Council, most of which fell vacant in July last year.

Panchayat, municipal and cantonment board representatives are electors.

The EC said: “Biennial elections to fill up 24 seats could not be conducted by 16.07.2021 as the Constituent Local Bodies/ Electors therein were not in existence at that time. The Commission vide letter dated 21.05.2021 had sought information regarding existence of constituent Local Bodies functioning and their percentage in the said Constituencies. The CEO, Bihar, vide letter dated 27.05.2021 had informed that the term of all Rural Local Bodies which constitute 97.56% of total electoral college for said election was to expire on 15.06.2021 and accordingly, said election could not be held at that time.”

The panel said: “Now, CEO, Bihar vide letter dated 27.12.2021 has submitted the updated status regarding percentage of Local Bodies functioning as well as percentage of electors therein in all 24 Local Authorities’ Constituencies. The Chief Electoral Officer, Bihar, has informed that the percentage of Local Bodies functioning as well as the percentage of electors therein is more than 75%.”