Bihar Election Phase 1 voting highlights: Polling concludes, ECI to update final turnout soon

Bihar Election Phase 1 voting highlights: Voting for phase 1 of the Bihar election has concluded and only those already in queues will be allowed to cast their votes.

Voting for the first phase began at 7 am and continued till 6 pm, though in some areas polling ended an hour earlier due to security concerns.

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According to the Election Commission of India’s data, 60.13 per cent of voter turnout was recorded till 5 pm.

Around 3.75 crore voters were eligible to cast their votes today, including 10.72 lakh first-time voters and 7.78 lakh young voters aged between 18 and 19.

For the first time, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has implemented CCTV surveillance across all polling stations. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, personally monitored the live feeds and polling activities from the central Control Room at the ECI headquarters.

As voting for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly Elections 2025 is underway, intense campaigning by star leaders from both major alliances — the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan — continued today across the state. Campaigners from both sides fiercely attacked each other and appealed to voters for support.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi left no stone unturned in targeting the Mahagathbandhan, sharply criticising the poor law and order situation during the RJD’s decade-long rule. He reminded people of the “infamous Ks” under the RJD government and described its 15-year rule as an era of “katta, katuta, krurta, kushasan, kusanskar, and corruption.” Speaking at a rally in Araria, Modi said Bihar was once known as a land of social justice, but that image was damaged during the RJD’s rule in the 1990s.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra compared the current regime with her father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s time, saying that under his leadership, people had a voice — unlike today, when fear prevails.

#WATCH | Govindganj, East Champaran: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra says, “When I was 10-12 years old, I saw a woman in Amethi scold my father. She said, ‘tum Rajiv Bhaiya toh ho hamare, Pradhan Mantri hoge lekin aapne bola tha hamare yaha nal (tap) lagaoge par lagaya nahi… pic.x.com/oOUznBoRr3

— ANI (@ANI) November 6, 2025

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also escalated his attack on the Mahagathbandhan, calling it a “Mahathugbandhan” and warning voters not to let “jungle raj” return to Bihar.

In another development, Tej Pratap Yadav, contesting as the Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD) candidate after being expelled from the RJD, expressed confidence in his victory, thanking his parents for their blessings and the people for their support. Fighting from Mahua, he expressed his desire to occupy the chair.

However, the day also saw tension in Lakhisarai, where RJD supporters allegedly attacked the convoy of Deputy Chief Minister and BJP candidate Vijay Kumar Sinha amid polling-day enthusiasm.

Also Read: Bihar Assembly Election 2025, phase 1: These key contestants and constituencies are the ones to watch

Also Read: Battle lines drawn: NDA vs INDIA bloc in crucial first phase of Bihar elections 2025

Today, voters in 121 Assembly seats across 18 districts will decide who should lead the state. This marks the first phase of the two-part election. The rest of the constituencies will vote on November 11, concluding the campaign full of big rallies, fiery speeches, and tall promises.

Both sides know the stakes are high. The ruling National Democratic Alliance, made up of the BJP, JD(U), LJP, HAM, and RLM — is trying to hold on to power, just like it did in 2020 when it narrowly beat the Opposition with 125 seats.

On the other hand, the Mahagathbandhan, led by the RJD, Congress, VIP, and Left parties, believes the public mood has changed. They had come close last time with over 110 seats and are now aiming to clinch the victory.

In this first phase, 1,314 candidates are in the fray, but only a few key contests are setting the tone for the state’s political mood.