Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Sunday announced that the Bihar Assembly elections will be held before November 22, when the current Assembly’s term expires.
Addressing a press conference in Patna, Kumar said that preparations are underway across 243 constituencies — including 2 reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST) and 38 for Scheduled Castes (SC). The Election Commission (EC) recently completed a two-day review visit to the state and conducted training for booth-level officers for the first time to ensure better election management.
17 New Measures Introduced for Bihar Elections
The Chief Election Commissioner said the EC has implemented 17 new initiatives aimed at ensuring a smoother, more transparent electoral process.
“Seventeen new initiatives have been successfully implemented in Bihar; some will be part of polling, and others during counting,” Kumar stated.
EVM Ballot Papers to Feature Colour Photographs
In a first, the ballot papers on EVMs will now include colour photographs of candidates, replacing the previous black-and-white images. This reform aims to make it easier for voters to identify candidates.
“Earlier, the black-and-white photos made identification difficult. From the Bihar elections onward, all EVMs will carry colour photographs and larger serial numbers for better clarity,” the CEC said.
100% Webcasting at Polling Booths
To strengthen transparency and prevent malpractice, the Election Commission will implement 100% webcasting at all polling stations across Bihar — a first for the state.
Voter List Cleanup: 3.66 Lakh Ineligible Names Removed
Kumar also revealed that the voter rolls underwent a major verification process, resulting in the deletion of 3.66 lakh ineligible names.
“Earlier, around 65 lakh names had been deleted, and now 3.66 lakh more have been removed after verification. Voters can file objections with the District Magistrate if they believe their names were deleted in error,” he said.
The revised electoral rolls have been distributed to district-level party representatives for cross-verification.
NDA vs Mahagathbandhan: High-Stakes Battle Ahead
The 2025 Bihar Assembly polls are expected to be a fierce contest between Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s NDA and the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
With new electoral reforms, enhanced monitoring, and an updated voter list, the upcoming election is shaping up to be one of Bihar’s most closely watched polls in recent years.
