Polling for the second and final phase of the Bihar Assembly Election 2025 is underway across 122 constituencies in 20 districts, with 14.5% voter turnout recorded till 9 AM, according to the Election Commission of India.
Over 37 million voters, including 17.4 million women, are eligible to vote across 45,399 polling stations. The polls, which began at 7 AM, will continue until 5 PM.
Key Highlights So Far
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Gaya recorded the highest turnout of 15.97%, followed by Kishanganj (15.81%), Jamui (15.77%), Purnia (15.54%), and Aurangabad (15.43%).
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Over 1,302 candidates, including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, are contesting in this phase.
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Security across Bihar has been tightened in light of the Delhi Red Fort blast, with additional forces deployed in Bhagalpur and other key constituencies.
Prominent Leaders Cast Votes, Appeal for Participation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged voters on social media to “set a new voting record” and encouraged first-time voters to participate actively.
“Today is the second and final phase of the Bihar Assembly elections. I urge all voters, especially the youth, to vote in large numbers and inspire others,” the PM posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Prashant Kishor, founder of Jan Suraaj, appealed to citizens to break previous turnout records, voting for “change, education, and employment.”
JDU leader Neeraj Kumar lauded the “significant increase in women’s participation,” calling it a “turning point in Bihar’s democratic history.”
Major Parties and Candidates in the Fray
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the Janata Dal (United) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), faces off against the INDIA bloc alliance of RJD, Congress, and Left parties.
Prominent candidates include:
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Tarkishore Prasad (Katihar)
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Uday Narain Choudhary (Sikandra)
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Vinay Bihari (Lauriya)
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Renu Devi, BJP senior leader and former Deputy CM (Sitamarhi)
BJP minister Krishnanandan Paswan expressed confidence in a sweeping NDA victory, predicting a 50,000-vote margin from the Harsidhi seat.
Security and Polling Environment
Following the Delhi car blast near Red Fort, multi-layered security arrangements are in place across all polling districts.
Central forces, state police, and home guards are ensuring peaceful polling. Election Commission observers have been stationed at sensitive booths to prevent malpractice and encourage inclusive voting.
Reports from Purnia suggest isolated incidents of voter entry disputes, which local administration said were “quickly resolved.”
Previous and Expected Turnouts
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Phase 1 (Nov 6): 65.08% turnout — the highest ever for Bihar.
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2020 election: 58.8% turnout.
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2025 Phase 2 expected to surpass previous records, according to Election Commission data and ground reports.
Exit polls will be released after voting ends at 5 PM, with predictions expected by 6:30 PM.
