As the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) heads towards a likely victory in the Bihar Assembly elections, the Indian National Congress (INC) has raised concerns over the integrity of the electoral process, echoing similar sentiments voiced during the 2024 general election. The Congress' allegations center on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls conducted prior to the election and alleged irregularities during the counting process.

The NDA, comprising the BJP and JD(U), has crossed the majority mark in early trends, leading in 189 Assembly seats, while the Mahagathbandhan trails behind with 44. Within the NDA, the BJP is leading in 81 seats, and the JD(U) in 80. The Mahagathbandhan's numbers are composed of the RJD ahead in 33 seats, and the Congress in 5.

Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Ram has raised doubts about the "integrity" of the counting process, alleging "serious anomalies" and accusing the administration of attempting to "steal votes". He claimed that the counting process slowed abruptly in several centers after the initial rounds and reported "server vans" hovering around counting centers and "irregularities at booths". Ram has also warned that any perceived wrongdoing could trigger unrest, stating that voters know whom they voted for, and anger is natural if the outcome doesn't match their expectations.

The Congress' concerns also extend to the SIR, an exercise conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to revise the state's voter rolls. The party alleges that the SIR led to the deletion of a significant number of voters, exceeding the victory margins in some constituencies from the last election. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh has accused the ECI of being a "puppet" in the hands of the ruling party and carrying out the SIR to provide political advantage to the BJP and its allies. Petitioners challenging the SIR in the Supreme Court estimated that around 1.75 million Muslims were excluded from the electoral rolls. The ECI disputed this methodology but refused to reveal the caste and religious breakup of those who were excluded.

The ECI, however, maintains that the Bihar Assembly Elections were conducted successfully, with a historic voter turnout of 67.13%, the highest since 1951. The commission also stated that the SIR was conducted with zero appeals to ensure that the Bihar Electoral Roll was up to date and clean. The ECI also highlighted that there were zero repolls in the Bihar Assembly Elections, and no discrepancies or malpractices were found at any polling station.

Despite the ECI's assurances, the Congress' allegations have raised questions about the fairness and transparency of the electoral process. The party's concerns reflect a broader debate about the ECI's impartiality and its role in safeguarding the integrity of elections. As the counting process continues and final results are awaited, the Congress's allegations are likely to keep the focus on the ECI and its conduct of the Bihar elections.

Meanwhile, trends indicate that the NDA is set to secure a comfortable majority, potentially reshaping Bihar's political landscape. The NDA's campaign focused on Nitish Kumar's long incumbency, women's vote, and social arithmetic.