Patna, Bihar:The second phase of the Bihar Assembly Election 2025 witnessed a record voter turnout of 68.79%, according to Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vinod Singh Gunjiyal. Addressing a press conference at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Gunjiyal stated that while data from around 2,000 polling stations is still pending, preliminary figures already mark this as one of the highest turnouts in Bihar’s electoral history.
Combining both phases, the total voter turnout reached 66.90%, which is around nine percent higher than the previous assembly election.
Highest Turnout in Katihar, Kishanganj, and Purnia
Vinod Singh Gunjiyal said that Katihar, Kishanganj, and Purnia districts recorded the highest voter turnout, each crossing 75% participation. Voting took place from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., during which nearly 3.7 crore voters exercised their franchise across 45,399 polling booths.
He added that every Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) deployed for the election was GPS-tracked, ensuring transparency and real-time monitoring. “Voting was conducted peacefully at all polling stations. Any complaints received were addressed immediately,” said Gunjiyal.
Over 220 Complaints Received; â‚ą127 Crore Worth of Items Seized
According to the Election Commission, more than 220 complaints were registered during the second phase of polling. Since the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct, items worth â‚ą127 crore have been seized, reflecting strict monitoring of election-related activities.
A total of 2,616 candidates contested in both phases. Notably, this election marked a historic first for India, as 100% of polling booths were live webcasted, allowing continuous monitoring by election officials.
Voting in Naxal-affected areas was also reported to be peaceful, with no incidents of violence anywhere in the state.
Voting Held in Areas Where Polls Were Absent for Two Decades
ADG Headquarters Kundan Krishnan informed that elections were successfully conducted even at booths where polling had not taken place for the last two decades, particularly in Jamui, Gaya, and Rohtas districts — areas once severely affected by Naxal violence.“It is safe to say that extremist Naxalism has nearly ended. Even the wives of former Naxal members turned out to vote,”said Krishnan, adding that 690 people were arrested over the past 24 hours for election-related violations.
Political Background and Previous Results
In the 2020 Bihar Assembly Election, among the 122 seats that went to polls in this phase, the NDA had won 66, the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) secured 49, AIMIM won 5, while BSP and one independent candidate won one seat each.
The NDA, comprising the BJP, JD(U), HAM, and LJP (RV), is seeking to retain power for a third consecutive term, while the Mahagathbandhan, led by the RJD, Congress, Left parties, and VIP, is attempting to regain control of the state.
