Patna, November 6, 2025 – Bihar has recorded its highest-ever voter turnout in the first phase of the Assembly elections, with an impressive 64.66% of eligible voters exercising their franchise on Thursday. This figure surpasses all previous records, including the 62.57% turnout in 2000, marking a significant milestone in the state's electoral history.
The first phase of polling covered 121 constituencies across 18 districts of Bihar, with over 3.75 crore voters eligible to cast their ballots. A total of 1,314 candidates, including 1,192 men and 122 women, contested in this phase, with several prominent leaders, such as Tejashwi Yadav and Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, in the fray.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has lauded the peaceful conclusion of the first phase, attributing the high turnout to several new initiatives aimed at enhancing the voting experience and ensuring transparency. These measures included the use of colored photographs of candidates on EVM ballot papers and modified voter information slips for easy readability. Electors were also allowed to deposit their mobile phones at the polling stations. To facilitate voting, the number of voters per polling station was capped at 1,200, which helped to avoid long queues and reduce waiting times. Wheelchairs and E-rickshaws were provided for Persons with Disabilities (PwD) to reach the polling stations.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar congratulated the voters of Bihar for the historic turnout and commended the efficient election management. He highlighted that Bihar had "shown the way to the country" with the highest SIR (Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation), the cleanest voter list, and the record turnout.
While the overall polling was peaceful, some stray incidents of violence and accusations between leaders were reported. In Muzaffarpur's Minapur, the constituency recorded over 73% turnout, while Begusarai district recorded the highest voting percentage of over 76%. Begusarai recorded a 67.32% turnout till 5 pm, while Sheikhpura recorded the lowest at 52.36% during the same time frame. Other districts with significant voter participation include Madhepura (67.21%), Vaishali (67.37%), and Saharsa (66.84%). Patna recorded a comparatively lower turnout, which was attributed to the urban areas of Bankipur, Digha, and Kumhrar.
Political analysts suggest that the record voter turnout indicates a strong desire for change among the electorate. Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) founder Prashant Kishor believes that the high turnout signals a potential shift in the state's political landscape. The BJP has stated that the high polling shows the people's faith in NDA while the grand alliance interprets it as a 'wave of change'.
The second phase of the Bihar Assembly elections is scheduled for November 11, with the counting of votes to be held on November 14. The remaining 122 seats will go to the polls in the second phase.
