Page 3 - Bihar

EC has not done justice to Bihar over vote deletions in SIR: D K Shivakumar

Congress leader and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar Monday alleged the Election Commission has not done justice to the Bihar electorate as it has deleted a large number of poor voters and those seeking jobs outside the state from the electoral rolls. He claimed the EC was conducting the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls after admitting that "something wrong" was committed by "misusing its office". Shivakumar was here to present the 1.12 crore signatures collected from across Karnataka as part of the Congress' "Vote chor, gaddi chhod" campaign. "The Election Commission has not given justice to Bihar voters," he claimed, alleging that the votes of the poor and those migrating outside Bihar in search of jobs were deleted on a large scale during the SIR exercise. Shivakumar, however, did not answer any queries on whether he raised the issue of the change of chief ministership in Karnataka with the party high command. "I am not here to speak on politics.

Security tightened across Bihar for 2nd phase of Assembly polls on Tuesday

Security has been beefed up across Bihar for the second phase of the assembly polls on November 11, with over 4 lakh personnel engaged in election duties, officials said on Monday. Voting will be held at 45,399 polling stations, including 40,073 in rural areas, across 122 assembly seats in the second and final round of polling. More than 4 lakh security personnel have been deployed in Bihar for poll duties to ensure free and fair elections," an Election Commission official said on Monday. Around 500 companies (around 50,000) of the Central Armed Police Force had been engaged in pre-election duties in Bihar, and subsequently, 500 more companies of CAPF arrived in the state, he said. "Besides, an additional 500 companies arrived for poll duties in the third week of October. More than 60,000 personnel of the Bihar Police have already been engaged in the election duty," said a senior official on the condition of anonymity. Around 2,000 personnel of reserve battalions from other states

Hoarding praising Nitish Kumar appears in Patna ahead of Bihar polls

A large hoarding displaying support for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been put up in Patna's Kotwali area, ahead of the second phase of the Bihar assembly elections

Bihar election: India-Nepal border points closed ahead of 2nd phase

The second phase of polling will take place on November 11, and results will be declared on November 14

Tejashwi asks EC why gender-wise voter turnout figures remain undisclosed

On Thursday, the first phase of the assembly elections in Bihar concluded peacefully with a record voter turnout of 65.08 per cent, the highest-ever in the state's history in assembly polls

Bihar Assembly elections 2025: 1 in 3 candidates faces criminal cases

As Bihar heads to phase two polling, ADR data shows 32% candidates face criminal cases and 42% are crorepatis, highlighting the deep nexus of crime and money in state politics

Record turnout in Bihar phase-1 elections 'huge shock' to Oppn: PM Modi

Ahead of the second phase of the Bihar Assembly elections, scheduled for November 11, PM Modi said that people do not want a government that uses fear and violence

Over half of Bihar's unrecognised parties skip financial disclosure: ADR

According to ADR, only about one-fourth of the parties disclosed both their audit and contribution reports for FY24, declaring a combined income of ₹85.56 crore

Adani Power won Bihar's 2,400 MW Bhagalpur project with lowest bid

The Bihar government awarded the 2,400 MW Bhagalpur (Pirpainti) power project to Adani Power Ltd after a competitive bidding process in which the Ahmedabad-based company quoted a lower electricity tariff than three other bidders, including Torrent Power and JSW Energy, sources said. The Bihar government had floated an open tender for the Bhagalpur project to meet the state's electricity demand, projected to double to over 17,000 MW by 2034-35. Four qualified bidders participated in the tender, with Adani Power quoting the lowest electricity tariff of Rs 6.075 per kWh (or per unit), sources with direct knowledge of the bidding process said. Adani Power emerged as the lowest bidder (L1) with a tariff of Rs 6.075 per kWh, comprising a fixed charge of Rs 4.165 and a fuel charge of Rs 1.91 per unit. The state government described the tariff as "highly competitive", noting that similar recent bids in Madhya Pradesh quoted higher fixed charges. Torrent Power was the second lowest bidder

Bihar elections voting phase I LIVE news: 64.46% voter turnout logged till 8 pm, says ECI

Bihar Assembly election 2025 phase 1 voting LIVE updates: The state capital Patna recorded one of the lowest early morning figures at 11.22 per cent, according to ECI data

Bihar sees record 64.46% voter turnout in first phase of Assembly polls

A voter turnout of 64.46 per cent was recorded provisionally at the close of polling in 121 seats in the first phase of assembly elections in Bihar on Thursday, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vinod Singh Gunjiyal said. A total of 3.75 crore voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in this phase, to decide the electoral fate of 1,314 candidates, he said. Voting took place across 45,341 polling stations, of which 36,733 were in rural areas, he added. Gunjiyal said that barring a few incidents of "minor scuffles" in Lakhisarai and Saran, polling passed off peacefully. "Voting began at 7 am and concluded at 6 pm amid tight security. Around 64.46 per cent voter turnout was recorded," he said. "A total of 143 complaints were received and were immediately resolved," he added. Gunjiyal said polling was boycotted in certain booths in Buxar, Fatuha and Suryagarha. The remaining 122 seats of the 243-member assembly will vote on November 11, while the counting will take place on Nove

Bihar records 64.46% voter turnout in first phase of Assembly polls

Amid stray incidents of violence, including an attack on Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha's vehicle, 60.18 per cent of 3.75 crore voters exercised their franchise till 5 pm on Thursday across 121 constituencies in the first phase of Bihar assembly elections. Begusarai district recorded the highest polling percentage so far at 67.32, followed by Samastipur (66.65) and Madhepura (65.74). Stakes are high for both the ruling NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc in the first phase of the assembly elections, with several key leaders, including RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, and several ministers, in the fray. The ruling NDA, which has been in power in the state for 20 years, except for a few brief interruptions, is banking on its image of "sushasan" (good governance) in contrast to the alleged "jungle raj" that marked the 15 years old rule of the RJD-Congress combine. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who addressed rallies in a couple

Lalu Prasad hits campaign trail in Phulwari Sharif ahead of Bihar polls

RJD president Lalu Prasad, who has been keeping indoors because of fragile health, on Tuesday undertook a drive to Phulwari Sharif constituency, in what is being seen as a "road show" by the greatest crowd puller of his generation. The reserved constituency, which also has a sizeable population of Muslims, is situated just a few kilometres away from the residence of Prasad, who chose to wave at onlookers from inside his car. The septuagenarian, who has undergone a heart surgery and a kidney transplant, was last seen in public when his son Tejashwi Yadav, the INDIA bloc's CM candidate, filed nomination papers for the Raghopur seat at the collectorate in Vaishali district. Prasad, who was then accompanied by his wife Rabri Devi and eldest daughter Misa Bharti, had used a wheelchair. In Phulwari Sharif, which is being contested by RJD ally CPI(ML) Liberation, the former Bihar CM, who was travelling alone, chose not to get out of his vehicle. He returned home about an hour before ...

Rahul Gandhi accuses PM Modi of distracting youth with social media reels

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants the youth to remain busy in making social media reels, so that they stay distracted from pressing problems about education, health and employment. Addressing a poll rally in Bihar's Aurangabad, Gandhi charged the PM with promoting addiction to social media. Modi wants you to become addicted to making reels, Instagram, Facebook... This is the new high (nasha') of the 21st century. He wants such a scenario because this would ensure that the youth remain distracted, and do not hold his government accountable for their problems about education, health and employment, he alleged. Gandhi also claimed that Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were indulging in 'vote chori' (vote theft) in Bihar, as they know the NDA would not win the assembly polls. The INDIA bloc, if voted to power in Bihar, will be a government of the extremely backward, socially marginalised and Dalits, the former Congress president ...

Can Bihar's industrial push create jobs and stem its migration crisis?

From cheap internet to employment pledges, Bihar's political discourse revolves around migration, joblessness. Despite industrial efforts, most young workers still seek livelihoods outside the state

Nitish's absence from PM's roadshow 'no surprise', says Tejashwi Yadav

Tejashwi also criticised PM Modi's "Katta" remark during a public rally in Arrah, noting that he had never seen a Prime Minister speak such language

PM Modi, Shah, Kharge among heavyweights set to hold rallies in Bihar today

Hectic campaigning in poll-bound Bihar is set to continue on Monday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge scheduled to address a host of public rallies across the state. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will also address two poll rallies at Sonbarsa and Lakhisarai, and hold a roadshow at Rosera. While the PM will address public rallies in Saharsa and in Katihar districts, Kharge will address a public rally in Vaishali. Shah will take part in rallies in Sheohar, Sitamarhi and Madhubani during the day. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is also scheduled to address four public rallies in Patna, Saran and Muzaffarpur on Monday. Modi led a mega roadshow in Patna on Sunday evening, besides addressing back-to-back rallies in Bhojpur and Nawada districts. The Bihar assembly polls will be held in two phases on November 6 and November 11, while the counting of votes will take place on November 1

INDIA bloc govt in Bihar will stop migration, oust BJP, says Akhilesh

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday said that if the INDIA bloc forms the government in Bihar under the leadership of RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, it will check out-migration of people and force the BJP to migrate from the eastern state. Addressing a public rally in Chhapra district in support of RJD's singer-turned-politician candidate Khesari Lal Yadav, he said Bihar has always emerged as a saviour whenever clouds of danger overshadowed politics. The former chief minister of adjoining Uttar Pradesh urged people of Bihar to "safeguard politics from the dangers that surround it" through their votes. "When the new government headed by Tejashwi Yadav is formed in Bihar, it will check out-migration of common people and force the BJP to migrate from the state," he said. He exuded confidence that the INDIA bloc will form the government in Bihar and the Samajwadi Party will emerge victorious in the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. "Tejashwi Yadav's government will ...

Bihar Assembly polls: PM Narendra Modi leads mega roadshow in Patna

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led a mega roadshow in Patna on Thursday evening. Thousands of people gathered on two sides of the road and on rooftops to catch a glimpse of Modi, who greeted them from inside his vehicle. The roadshow began from Aranya Bhawan near the Patna airport, and will conclude at the state BJP office on Birchand Patel Marg. People showered flower petals on the PM's cavalcade amid chants of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'. Modi arrived here from West Bengal on a two-day visit. After reaching the BJP office, he is scheduled to meet the party's leaders in the state. He will spend the night at the Raj Bhavan.

No double-engine govt in Bihar, Delhi controls everything: Priyanka Gandhi

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday attacked the NDA dispensation in Bihar over unemployment and migration issues, and claimed that there is "no double-engine government" in the state as "everything is controlled from Delhi". Addressing her maiden poll rally at Begusarai in the Bihar polls this year, she alleged that the NDA government at the Centre and in the state have been indulging in "divisive politics" and propagating "fake nationalism" to divert people's attention from real issues. Asserting that the "right to vote is the biggest" blessing of the Indian Constitution, Vadra said that the NDA government has weakened people's right to vote by conducting SIR, which deleted 65 lakh voters" from the electoral rolls in the state. "There is no double-engine (government) in Bihar, but only a single engine...everything is controlled from Delhi. Neither are you being heard nor is your CM Nitish Kumar respected," the Congress MP claimed, while addressing the rally. She also ..