News Update: Friday - 6.10 AM (IST)
The opening phase of the Bihar Assembly elections wrapped up on Thursday with an impressive voter turnout of 64.66 per cent &mdash; the highest recorded in the state&rsquo;s electoral history since 1951. The result has been hailed as a landmark in democratic participation, with the Chief Election Commissioner describing Bihar as having "shown the way" in voter engagement.
Among the districts, Muzaffarpur led with a turnout of 70.96 per cent, followed closely by Samastipur at 70.63 per cent and Begusarai at 68.26 per cent. Notably, the Bachhwara constituency in Begusarai topped the charts at the seat level, registering 69.67 per cent voting by 5 p.m.
In contrast, Patna district saw a relatively subdued response, with only 48.69 per cent of eligible voters casting their ballots.
This phase saw 1,314 candidates in the fray, including 122 women. To uphold the integrity and accessibility of the process, the Election Commission rolled out extensive infrastructure &mdash; from webcasting at all polling stations to 926 booths run exclusively by women and 107 stations managed by persons with disabilities.
Security was a key focus, particularly in sensitive and Naxal-affected areas, where over 15 battalions of police and paramilitary forces were deployed.
With the first phase setting new standards in participation and transparency, the state has reinforced its pivotal role in India&rsquo;s democratic landscape. As the process moves to subsequent phases, the spirit of active engagement remains a defining feature of this electoral cycle.
-----------------
News Release: Thursday -7.21 PM &nbsp;(IST)
Bihar witnessed a voter turnout of 60.13% in the first phase of the 2025 Assembly Elections, held across 121 constituencies on Thursday. The polling, which began at 7 AM and concluded at 6 PM, remained largely peaceful amid tight security arrangements.
The elections mark a crucial triangular contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (United)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Indian National Congress (INC)-led Mahagathbandhan, and Prashant Kishor&rsquo;s Jan Suraaj Party, which is making its electoral debut.
<h3 data-start="856" data-end="895">High Turnout Across Key Districts</h3>
As per data from the Election Commission, Begusarai recorded the highest voter turnout at 67.32%, while Sheikhpura registered the lowest at 52.36% till 5 PM. Voters across 18 districts, including Patna, Darbhanga, Saharsa, Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, Siwan, Saran, Vaishali, Begusarai, Nalanda, and Buxar, exercised their franchise.
A total of 3.75 crore voters decided the fate of 1,314 candidates, of whom 122 are women and 1,192 are men. Among the registered voters, 1.98 crore were male, 1.76 crore female, and 758 identified as third gender. Notably, 10.72 lakh voters were casting their vote for the first time.
Polling took place at 45,341 polling stations, with 36,733 located in rural areas and 8,608 in urban centers. The Election Commission also set up 320 model polling booths, 926 all-women-managed booths, and 107 polling stations managed entirely by people with disabilities.
<h3 data-start="1876" data-end="1915">Key Contests and Political Stakes</h3>
Several high-profile candidates are in the fray in this first phase.
<ul data-start="1987" data-end="2589">
<li style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-start="1987" data-end="2199">
Tejashwi Yadav of RJD, the Mahagathbandhan&rsquo;s CM face, is contesting from Raghopur, a seat he had previously won, against BJP&rsquo;s Satish Kumar, who had defeated Yadav&rsquo;s mother Rabri Devi in 2010.
</li>
<li style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-start="2200" data-end="2407">
Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary (BJP) is contesting from Tarapur, while Tej Pratap Yadav, Tejashwi&rsquo;s brother, is fighting from Mahua under his own outfit, Janshakti Janata Dal.
</li>
<li style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-start="2408" data-end="2526">
JD(U)&rsquo;s Anant Singh, currently lodged in jail in connection with a murder case, is contesting from Mokama.
</li>
<li style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-start="2527" data-end="2589">
BJP&rsquo;s Maithili Thakur is contesting from Alinagar.
</li>
</ul>
The NDA comprises JD(U), BJP, LJP (Ram Vilas), Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), and Rashtriya Lok Morcha, while the Mahagathbandhan alliance includes RJD, INC, CPI, CPI(M-L), CPI(M), and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP). The Jan Suraaj Party, led by Prashant Kishor, has fielded candidates on all 243 seats, making this election a three-cornered contest.
The remaining two phases of polling will be conducted later this month, with vote counting scheduled for December 3, 2025.

121 constituencies voted in first phase amid a triangular fight

Bihar polls log 64.66% turnout in Phase 1

121 constituencies voted in first phase amid a triangular fight

November 6, 2025 | 19:21 IST