Patna, India – Bihar commenced the first phase of its Assembly Elections today, November 6, 2025, with over 3.75 crore voters eligible to cast their ballots across 121 constituencies spread over 18 districts. This initial phase is set to determine the fate of 1,314 candidates.

Voting began at 7:00 AM and will continue until 6:00 PM, though polling will conclude earlier at 5:00 PM in certain constituencies due to security considerations. The election pits the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) against the opposition Mahagathbandhan alliance in a crucial contest. Also in the mix is Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj party.

Key contenders in this phase include Tejashwi Yadav, who is contesting from Raghopur, and his brother Tej Pratap Yadav, who is testing his luck in Mahua. Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary (contesting from Tarapur) and Vijay Kumar Sinha (contesting from Lakhisarai) are also in the fray. Other high-profile candidates include singer Maithili Thakur (contesting from Alinagar on a BJP ticket), Anant Singh (JDU candidate from Mokama), and Osama Shahab (RJD candidate from Raghunathpur).

The 18 districts where polling is taking place today include Patna, Darbhanga, Madhepura, Saharsa, Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, Siwan, Saran, Vaishali, Samastipur, Begusarai, Lakhisarai, Munger, Sheikhpura, Nalanda, Buxar, and Bhojpur.

This election is particularly significant for several state-level parties, including Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD, Nitish Kumar's JD(U), Chirag Paswan's LJP(RV), and Jitan Ram Manjhi's HAM(S).

The Bihar Assembly has a total of 243 seats. Polling for the remaining 122 constituencies will be held in the second phase on November 11, 2025. The results of the election are expected to be announced on November 14, 2025.