Bihar Assembly Elections to Be Held in 2 Phases on November 6 and 11; Results on November 14: ECI

Bihar Assembly Election 2025 Date: Bihar Assembly elections will be held in two phases on November 6 and November 11, as announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI) Chief Gyanesh Kumar on Monday during a press conference held in New Delhi at 4 pm. The counting of votes will take place on November 14. The announcement marks the beginning of a major political contest between the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the opposition Mahagathbandhan.

First phase schedule:

For the first phase, the gazette notification will be issued on October 10, the last date for filing nominations is October 17, scrutiny will take place on October 18, and candidates can withdraw their nominations until October 20. Polling for this phase will be held on November 6.

Second phase schedule:

In the second phase, the gazette notification will be released on October 13, the last date for filing nominations is October 20, scrutiny will be done on October 21, and withdrawals can be made until October 23. Voting for this phase will take place on November 11. The results of both phases will be declared on November 14, and the entire election process will be completed two days later, the poll panel chief stated. The current Assembly’s term ends on November 22. Bihar has 243 Assembly seats, including two reserved for Scheduled Tribes and 38 for Scheduled Castes. The Election Commission has announced several new steps to make the elections more transparent and smooth.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar also launched a voter helpline, saying that “the entire election team of Bihar is just a call away.” Through this number, voters can contact officials and get help with their queries. He also said strict directions have been issued to ensure “zero tolerance towards violence” and that voters and candidates face no threats. Booth-level officers will have ID cards for verification, and voters will need to keep their mobile phones outside the booths at special collection stations. Every polling booth will also have 100% webcasting for monitoring.

Improved EVM ballot papers

The Election Commission has improved EVM ballot papers for better visibility. Candidate photos will be printed in colour, covering three-fourths of the space. Serial numbers will appear in bold with large international numerals. These improved ballot papers will be used for the first time in the upcoming Bihar polls. The poll dates were announced just after the completion of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, which began on June 24 and finished as planned. Political parties had requested that elections be held after the Chhath festival at the end of October so that more voters, especially migrant workers returning home, could take part.

Overview of the 2020 Assembly elections

The previous Assembly elections in 2020 were conducted in three phases during the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s elections are expected to feature a strong face-off between the NDA, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and the Mahagathbandhan, led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). In the current 243-member Assembly, the NDA holds 131 seats (BJP 80, JD(U) 45, HAM(S) 4, and two Independents), while the Mahagathbandhan has 111 seats (RJD 77, Congress 19, CPI(ML) 11, CPI(M) 2, and CPI 2).