The Election Commission of India on Monday announced that the Bihar Assembly elections will be conducted in two phases — on November 6 and November 11 — with counting of votes scheduled for November 14. The term of the current Assembly expires on November 22, making this a crucial contest to decide the state’s next government.
According to the poll schedule, 121 constituencies will vote in the first phase, while 122 constituencies will go to the polls in the second phase. The elections will cover all 243 Assembly seats, including 38 reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) and two for Scheduled Tribes (ST).
The notification for the first phase will be issued on October 10, with nominations closing on October 17 and scrutiny on October 18. For the second phase, notification will be issued on October 13, with the last date for filing nominations on October 20.
The state has over 7.4 crore registered voters, including nearly 14 lakh first-time voters, spread across more than 90,000 polling stations. The Election Commission has announced that no polling booth will serve more than 1,200 voters to ensure smooth conduct of the election.
Security arrangements will include the deployment of over 500 Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) companies. The Commission will also appoint general, police, and expenditure observers to maintain transparency and curb malpractices.
The ruling NDA, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, is seeking to retain power, while the opposition Mahagathbandhan alliance, spearheaded by Tejashwi Yadav’s RJD, aims for a comeback. Political strategist Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraj Party and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has announced plans to contest all 243 seats, are also expected to make the electoral battle more competitive.
Major campaign issues are likely to revolve around employment, migration, reservation policies, and governance record, as parties brace for an intense showdown.
The Election Commission has also vowed to tackle misinformation on social media and ensure accurate voter rolls after controversy erupted over the deletion of about 65 lakh names from the voter list due to duplication and migration.
With the political temperature rising, Bihar is set for a tightly contested election that could reshape the state’s political landscape.