Bihar registered a historic 64.66% polling turnout in phase one, peacefully barring two minor incidents.
Photo Credit: The Suncity News.
Patna, November 6, 2025: Chief Electoral Officer Vinod Singh Gunjiyal said that polling for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections concluded on Thursday in a festive mood with an all-time high voter turnout of 64.66%, the highest recorded in the state.
Polling was held in 121 Assembly constituencies across 18 districts, covering 3,75,13,302 electors, including 1,98,35,325 male, 1,76,77,219 female and 758 third-gender voters.
A total of 45341 polling stations were set up in these 18 districts, including 36,733 in the rural areas and 8608 in urban areas.
Over 4 lakh polling personnel had reached their booths by 11.20 pm last night.
Mock polls were completed before 7 am, and voting started simultaneously at all locations between 7 am to 6 pm.
Two minor incidents were reported during polling in Lakhisarai and Saran:
Kundan Krishnan, ADG-Law and Order and state election nodal officer, said polling remained peaceful except for two localized incidents in Halsi block in Lakhisarai district, where villagers allegedly hurled mud at the convoy of Deputy CM and BJP candidate Vijay Kumar Sinha.
Another incident occurred at Daudnagar village in Saran district, where unidentified persons broke the window of the CPI(M) MLA’s vehicle.
“Both incidents were covered by the media. Apart from these, polling remained peaceful,” he said.
Krishnan said that since the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into effect, 850 arms and over 4000 cartridges have been seized.
“Deployment included 500 companies of paramilitary forces supported by the Bihar police, with intensive night patrolling helped in conducting peaceful elections.
“The paramilitary forces deployed in the first phase of the election will be shifted to the districts where the second phase of polling will be held on November 11,” he said.
Over 90,000 Jeevika Didis worked jointly with CAPF personnel for the identification of burqa-clad women voters.
Presiding officers updated turnout data before leaving the booths, resulting in minimal delay in trend reporting.
Figures are as of 8.15 pm, 1070 Presiding Officers were yet to upload numbers on ECINet at that time.
New initiatives:
The poll body highlighted several voter-friendly measures that rolled out for the first time.
Colour photos of candidates on EVM ballot units, mobile-deposit counters at polling stations, redesigned Voter Information Slips, capping of approx. 1200 voters per booth, wheelchairs and tagged volunteers for PwD voters, e-rickshaw support for PwD transports.
100% live webcasting for the first time in Bihar:
CEC Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioner Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr Vivek Joshi, monitored all stations through 100% live webcasting, a first in the state.
CEC Kumar also directly interacted with Presiding Officers and DEOs from the control room.
Kumar congratulates the electors of Bihar for the historic voter turnout in phase 1 of the Assembly Election since 1951.
He also thanked the Electors for expressing their complete faith in the poll body and turning out to vote in such large numbers with fervor and enthusiasm.
He also thanked the entire election machinery for working with full transparency and dedication.
International observers:
As part of the International Election Visitors program, 16 delegations from six countries, including South Africa, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Belgium and Colombia, observed polling and termed the conduct of Bihar’s elections internationally one of the most well-organized, transparent, efficient and participative.
Also Read: Polling for the first phase of the assembly election begins in Bihar’s 18 districts.
EOM.
