New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday announced the schedule for the Bihar Assembly elections 2025, setting the stage for a high-stakes political battle in the state. Polling will be held in two phases — on November 6 and 11, while counting of votes will take place on November 14.
With the announcement, the Model Code of Conduct has come into immediate effect across Bihar.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, while briefing the media in New Delhi, said that over 90,712 polling booths will be set up to accommodate 7.43 crore registered voters across 243 constituencies.
He informed that the notification for the first phase of elections will be issued on October 10, and candidates will be able to file nominations till October 17. For the second phase, notification will be released on October 13, with October 20 as the last date for filing nominations.
For the first time, the Commission will deploy one General Observer in every constituency, acting as the “eyes and ears” of the Election Commission. To ensure transparency, webcasting will be conducted at all polling stations for real-time monitoring of the voting process.
Kumar further stated that District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police have been instructed to maintain zero tolerance toward any form of violence. He assured that adequate Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) will be deployed to ensure peaceful polling and that strict surveillance will be maintained at all checkpoints to prevent the illegal movement of cash, liquor, and narcotics.
The tenure of the current Bihar Legislative Assembly, comprising 243 members, ends on November 22, paving the way for the formation of a new government before that date.
