Bihar election dates announced: Polling on Nov 6, 11, result on Nov 14

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The Election Commission of India on Monday announced the dates for the Bihar Assembly elections, which will be conducted in two phases on November 6 and 11. The results will be announced on November 14.  The last date for making nominations for the first phase will be October 17, whereas nominations for the second phase should be made by October 20. Names can be added to the voter list before the last date for nomination.

 

The current 243-member Bihar Assembly’s term is scheduled to end on November 22.   

Final electoral roll released

Last month, the poll panel released the final electoral roll for the Bihar Assembly elections. As of September 30, the total number of eligible voters in Bihar stood at 74.2 million, of which 1.4 million are first-time voters. The voter list can be downloaded from the ECI's official website. 

Of the total electors, 39.2 million are male and 35 million are female. The list also includes 1,725 transgender voters, 0.7 million persons with disabilities, and 0.4 million senior citizens aged above 85 years. For elderly voters, polling stations will be located on the ground floor and equipped with ramps of proper gradient, volunteers, and wheelchair facilities.

 

For the upcoming elections, Bihar will have 90,172 polling stations. These will be managed by a diverse group of personnel, including 292 persons with disabilities, 38 youths, and 1,044 women.

Major political alliances in Bihar

The 2025 Bihar Assembly elections are expected to be a high-stakes contest between the ruling alliance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United), and the opposition coalition known as the Mahagathbandhan, led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Indian National Congress. 

 

Other notable parties include All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

 

One of the most interesting aspects of the upcoming Bihar elections will be political strategist-turned-contender Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party, which is positioning itself as an alternative force in Bihar's political landscape. 

2020 Bihar Assembly elections

In the previous Assembly elections held in 2020, the NDA secured a majority with 125 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan won 110. The RJD emerged as the single largest party with 75 seats.

 

The election was held in three phases for a total of 243 seats:

• First phase for 71 seats on 28 October 
• Second phase for 94 seats on 3 November
• Third phase for 78 seats on 7 November

Currently, NDA holds 131 seats in the 243-member Bihar Assembly, while the Opposition INDIA bloc controls 111, led by RJD (77), followed by Congress (19) and CPI(ML) (11).