‘Purest electoral rolls’, historic turnout, minor confusions: One phase down, one more to go in Bihar polls

Summing up the exercise, CEC Kumar said, “Bihar has shown the way to the nation. SIR (Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls) with zero appeals and the highest voter turnout since 1951. Purest electoral rolls and enthusiastic participation of electors. Transparent and dedicated election machinery. Democracy wins. It has been an amazing journey for ECI.”

The CEC, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, monitored the proceedings from the EC Control Room in Delhi through live webcasting of all 45,341 polling stations — a first for the state.

The Election Commission had recently reduced the maximum number of voters per polling station from 1,500 to 1,200, expanding the network of booths statewide. This change, while improving crowd management, also led to minor confusion among some voters whose polling locations had shifted.

In Bankipur, at AN College’s Zoology building, 30-year-old Sourav Kumar found himself searching for his new booth. “For the last two elections, I voted at the same AN College booth. Today, I was shocked when they said my name wasn’t there. I feared my name had been struck off in the SIR. The helpdesk told me to check online, and I finally found my name on the other booth in the building,” he said.

Varied aspirations

Across Patna, voters expressed a striking mix of aspirations — from basic amenities to employment and women’s safety.

At St Karens Academy in Indrapuri, under the Digha constituency, Umesh Prasad (55) said, “I voted for good governance, for free and steady electricity. I ignored caste and picked a candidate who has actually worked on these issues.”

At Kanhaiyalal Jaiswal Balak Madhya Vidyalay in Digha, 21-year-old Vishal Kumar, a college student, said his concerns were dominated by employment. “For me, job prospects matter most. I voted for someone who talked about youth careers, not just slogans.”

At DAV Public School on Paulson Road, Kiran Kumari (23) highlighted women’s security, saying, “I voted for safe streets. Women have to fight at home and compromise on a lot of things to pursue a career and their dream. If the roads are not safe, our family members won’t let us step out.”

At Sherwoord School in Rajeev Nagar, Deepak Saw (53) said, “We need cleaner surroundings and better neighbourhood infrastructure and better roads.”

At BSNL Seva Kendra, Kidwaipuri Ajay Kumar Singh (60) said, “I voted for us older citizens like me. I want more accessible healthcare facilities in Patna and in Bihar so that no one should have to go out for treatment.”

At Indira Gandhi Samudaik Bhavan in Shree Krishnapuri, Abhishek Sinha (44) said, “Bihar needs stability and dignity. Whoever delivers on law and order and supports the middle class has my vote.”

Peaceful process

According to the Bihar Police Headquarters, polling remained peaceful and incident-free across all 18 districts. A statement issued by the DGP’s office confirmed that over 4 lakh polling-related staff reached their designated booths by 11.20 pm on November 5, ensuring timely mock polls and opening of all stations by 7 am.

To secure the process, 1,500 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), 50 companies of Bihar Military Police, and over 45,000 district police personnel were deployed. Additionally, 22,000 home guards, 19,817 trainee constables, and 3,671 chowkidars and dafadars assisted in queue management and voter facilitation. Every polling station was webcast live and connected to the ECI’s real-time monitoring system.

Bihar Police also deployed drones, mounted units, boats, and satellite phones in riverine, hilly, and previously Naxal-affected regions. The DGP and senior officers monitored the situation from the state control room, issuing immediate directives where required.

In a proactive measure, 459 checkpoints were established along Bihar’s borders with Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Nepal, all sealed 48 hours before polling to prevent illegal movement. Intensive checking was also conducted at inter-district and interstate points.

In the run-up to the polls, joint teams of Flying Squad (FST), Static Surveillance (SST), and CAPF units made substantial seizures. According to the Bihar Police, approximately 3.04 lakh litres of liquor, drugs valued at Rs 19.26 crore, precious metals worth Rs 4.26 crore, and cash and other inducement materials worth Rs 7.35 crore were confiscated to prevent voter bribery or influence.

The police also initiated preventive action against 4,08,459 individuals, including 53,523 persons suspected of intimidating vulnerable voters. Under the Crime Control Act (CCA), 23 notorious criminals were detained under CCA-12, while 1,090 active offenders were externed from districts under CCA-3. Thousands of pending non-bailable warrants and property seizure orders were executed ahead of polling.

“Bihar Police had been tightening its surveillance weeks before polling. Identified troublemakers were detained, and law enforcement was visible and effective,” said a senior police officer, noting that polling day remained “largely incident-free”.

The only significant flashpoint of the day occurred in Lakhisarai, where Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha and RJD MLC Ajay Kumar clashed near a polling booth after Sinha’s convoy was allegedly pelted with stones and slippers. Both leaders accused each other’s supporters of provocation.

“These are RJD’s goons trying to stop NDA voters from reaching booths,” Sinha said, warning of strong action. Kumar countered, alleging that “NDA leaders are staging such incidents to hide their nervousness”.

The Election Commission and district police quickly deployed additional forces and restored order. Voting resumed within minutes, with no further disruption reported.

New initiatives

The 2025 polls also introduced several new voter-friendly initiatives. For the first time, EVM ballot papers displayed coloured candidate photographs to reduce confusion. Polling stations offered a mobile phone deposit facility, newly designed Voter Information Slips (VIS) for easy readability, and improved crowd flow, with a limit of 1,200 voters per booth.

To assist persons with disabilities and the elderly, wheelchairs, volunteers, and e-rickshaws were provided at every polling location. Over 90,000 Jeevika members and women volunteers were also deployed.

As part of the International Election Visitors’ Programme (IEVP), 16 delegates from six countries, including South Africa, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Belgium, and Colombia, observed the polling process. They praised the elections as “transparent, participative, and globally exemplary,” according to an ECI statement.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar also congratulated the electorate and staff, saying, “Bihar has set a new benchmark in turnout, technology use, and voter facilitation. It was a festival of democracy celebrated with order and dignity.”

The second phase of the Bihar Assembly elections, in which 122 constituencies go to the polls, will be held on November 11. The counting of votes will take place on November 14.