Bihar Assembly elections will be held in two phases on November 6 and November 11

Newdelhi:6/10/25:The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday announced that the Bihar Assembly elections will be held in two phases on November 6 and November 11, with counting of votes scheduled for November 14.

Addressing the media, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accompanied by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, described the Bihar elections as the “mother of all elections.” He assured voters that the elections would be conducted smoothly and peacefully, with special attention to maintaining law and order.

The 2025 Assembly elections are the first in the state after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which produced a final voter list of 7.43 crore electors, including 14 lakh first-time voters. The CEC stated that political parties have received the updated electoral rolls and that the window for requesting corrections will remain open until 10 days before the filing of nominations.

To counter misinformation, the poll panel announced measures to tackle fake news, particularly on social media, at the district level. Each of the 243 constituencies will now have a dedicated observer, replacing the previous arrangement where one observer monitored multiple seats.

The announcement follows the Election Commission’s review of poll preparedness in the state, including consultations with major political parties and assessments of logistics. The term of the current Assembly ends on November 22, necessitating completion of elections before that date. The schedule has also been planned to avoid major festivals like Diwali and Chhath, ensuring maximum voter participation.

The 2025 elections are expected to be a high-stakes contest between the ruling NDA alliance of the BJP and JD(U), and the opposition Mahagathbandhan, led by RJD and Congress. Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party will also contest, introducing a new dimension to Bihar politics.

In the 2020 elections, the NDA secured a majority with 125 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan won 110, with RJD emerging as the single largest party with 75 seats. That election recorded a voter turnout of 56.93 per cent.

To improve the voting experience this year, polling booths will serve 1,200 voters instead of 1,500, and the total number of booths will be increased to 90,000 across the state. Additional deployment of Central Armed Police Forces will ensure security and the smooth conduct of the elections.