The first phase of the Bihar Assembly Elections 2025 began on Thursday (November 6) with polling underway across 121 constituencies out of the total 243 seats in the State Assembly. Over 3.75 crore eligible voters are set to participate in this phase, casting their ballots at 45,341 polling stations. Voting commenced at 7 a.m. and will continue till 5 p.m.
As per early data released by the State Chief Electoral Officer, the voter turnout stood at 13.13% by 9 a.m. The Saharsa district recorded the highest turnout so far, with 15.27% participation. Polling has been largely peaceful, with tight security arrangements in place to ensure a smooth electoral process.
This phase is crucial for both the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan, as several prominent leaders are contesting. The Opposition’s Chief Ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav is in the fray, along with his elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav, marking an important political moment for the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Additionally, more than a dozen Ministers from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (United) — part of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s government — are facing electoral tests.
In the 2020 Assembly Elections, the Mahagathbandhan had secured 63 seats among the constituencies voting today, making this phase strategically significant for the Opposition alliance as it aims to regain lost ground.
The Election Commission has deployed additional security personnel in sensitive regions to prevent any disturbances. Voter turnout is expected to rise significantly by afternoon as more people head to polling booths.
All eyes now remain on how the early trends unfold as Bihar takes a crucial step in shaping its political future.
