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Photograph: (Google)
The first phase of the Bihar Legislative Assembly elections concluded today in a peaceful and festive atmosphere, registering a historic voter turnout of 64.66%—the highest ever in the state’s electoral history. Over 3.75 crore voters across 121 Assembly Constituencies in 18 districts participated in the polls.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) introduced a host of voter-friendly initiatives, making the electoral experience seamless. For the first time, 100% of polling stations were monitored through live-webcasting, ensuring transparency and smooth conduct. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi, closely supervised the polling, personally coordinating with presiding officers and district election officials from the ECI Control Room.
As a part of the International Election Visitors’ Programme (IEVP), 16 delegates from six countries—including South Africa, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Belgium, and Colombia—observed the polling. The delegates lauded Bihar elections as among the most well-organized, transparent, efficient, and participative elections globally.
Security and voter assistance were also emphasized. Over 4 lakh polling staff reached their stations on time, and mock polls were completed before 7 AM. Over 90,000 female volunteers (“Jeevika Didis”) and CAPF personnel assisted in identifying women voters in purdah. Polling stations were equipped with wheelchairs, e-rickshaws, and dedicated volunteers to assist PwD voters, while newly designed Voter Information Slips (VIS) and coloured photos of candidates on EVMs enhanced voter convenience.
Each polling station catered to a maximum of 1,200 voters, reducing overcrowding, and real-time voter turnout was updated promptly via ECINet, reflecting the efficiency of the process.
This unprecedented turnout is particularly notable when compared to historical figures. The previous highest voter participation in Bihar Assembly elections was 62.57% in 2000, making the 2025 Phase-I turnout a landmark achievement in the state’s democratic history.