First Phase of Bihar Polls Gets Underway: Over 3.75 Crore Voters to Decide Fate of 1,314 Candidates

Patna, Nov 2025 : Bihar began voting in the first phase of its 2025 Assembly elections on Thursday morning, with polling commencing at 7 a.m. across 18 districts. A total of 121 Assembly constituencies are voting in this phase, where 1,314 candidates, including 122 women, are contesting.

According to the Election Commission, more than 3.75 crore voters—including 1.98 crore men, 1.76 crore women, and 758 third-gender electors—are eligible to cast their ballots. To accommodate them, 45,341 polling stations have been set up statewide, including over 36,700 in rural regions and more than 8,600 in urban areas. Every polling station is equipped with 100 per cent webcasting, enabling real-time remote monitoring.

Polling at general booths will continue until 6 p.m., while in six Naxal-affected constituencies—such as Simri Bakhtiyarpur, Mahishi, Tarapur, Munger, Jamalpur, and parts of Suryagarha—voting will conclude at 5 p.m. due to security concerns. Before polling began, mock polls were conducted between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. in the presence of booth agents.

Security arrangements across the state are unprecedented. State police and Central Armed Paramilitary Forces have been deployed, with over 15 battalions tasked with maintaining order. Sensitive and hyper-sensitive booths are under special surveillance, and patrolling teams have been instructed to prevent disruptions and misinformation. In Patna alone, 5,677 polling stations have been set up, including 541 women-only booths, 49 model stations, and 14 PwD-friendly booths.

Districts voting today include Patna, Bhojpur, Nalanda, Khagaria, Saharsa, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Siwan, Gopalganj, Munger, Lakhisarai, Sheikhpura, and others. In Muzaffarpur, voting is underway at 4,186 stations, where nearly 33 lakh voters are eligible. In Samastipur, 30 lakh voters will cast their ballots across 3,603 booths.

To ensure accessibility and inclusivity, the Election Commission has set up 926 all-women-managed booths and 107 booths operated by PwD staff. Additionally, 320 model booths offering enhanced facilities have been created to improve the voting experience. The Commission has deployed 121 general observers, 18 police observers, and 33 expenditure observers, along with a special control room in Patna where voters can report complaints.

The election features a multi-cornered contest. From the NDA, JD(U) is contesting 57 seats, BJP 48, LJP (Ram Vilas) 14, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha 2. The Mahagathbandhan has fielded RJD on 73 seats, Congress on 24, and CPI(ML) on 14. Other contenders include the Vikas Sheel Insaan Party, CPI, CPM, the new Indian Inclusive Party (IIP), and Jan Suraj Party.

Key political figures—including Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha—are contesting in this phase. RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, the Opposition’s chief ministerial face, is seeking re-election from Raghopur for the third time.