Election Commission announces two-phase Bihar Assembly polls in November

The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the schedule for the Bihar Assembly election on Monday, setting the state’s 243-seat contest in two phases — on 6 November and 7 November — with the counting of votes to take place on 10 November.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, unveiled the detailed schedule at a press conference in New Delhi. The announcement focused entirely on administrative and procedural preparedness, underlining the ECI’s effort to ensure free, fair, and transparent elections in one of India’s most politically significant states.

Over 7 crore voters to decide Bihar’s next government

According to the final electoral roll, a total of 7.42 crore voters are eligible to cast their votes this year. This includes 3.92 crore men, 3.5 crore women, and about 14 lakh first-time voters.

Officials said the ECI has placed a strict cap of 1,200 voters per polling station to ensure manageable queues and adequate facilities. Across the state, 90,712 Booth Level Officers, 243 Electoral Registration Officers, and 38 District Election Officers have been appointed to oversee the process.

The Commission has also undertaken a major revision of the electoral rolls, removing 3.66 lakh invalid or duplicate names and adding 21.53 lakh new voters, in an effort to maintain accuracy and transparency in the voter lists.

Technological and procedural safeguards

For the first time, colour photographs of candidates will appear on the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) ballot displays, replacing the earlier black-and-white images. The ECI confirmed that 100% of polling stations will use Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) units, consistent with its standard protocol for all assembly and general elections.

Additional measures include the installation of mobile phone deposit counters at all polling booths to prevent disturbances and ensure confidentiality, as well as full webcasting coverage of every polling station — a first for Bihar.

The ECI said that webcasting will allow real-time monitoring from control rooms, ensuring any malpractice or irregularity is immediately detected and addressed.

Tight security deployment and monitoring

Security will be a key focus during the Bihar polls. The Election Commission announced the deployment of over 500 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), comprising more than 5,000 personnel drawn from the CRPF, BSF, ITBP, CISF, and SSB.

These forces will be stationed across sensitive and vulnerable constituencies well ahead of polling dates. Officials said the pre-poll deployment is aimed at building public confidence, maintaining law and order, and cracking down on illegal activities, including the movement of liquor, cash, or narcotics.

Vigilance teams and static surveillance squads will be positioned at interstate borders and key checkpoints. The ECI reiterated its zero-tolerance policy towards violence, voter intimidation, and political misconduct.

Incentives for staff and accountability of officials

The Commission announced 17 new measures aimed at improving the efficiency and morale of election personnel. Among them, the remuneration for polling staff and observers has been doubled.

The ECI emphasised that neutrality among officials will be strictly enforced, and any evidence of bias or partisanship will invite immediate disciplinary action.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said the Commission’s goal was to make the Bihar polls a model for electoral integrity and administrative efficiency. “Our focus this time is on transparency, inclusiveness, and credibility. Every step has been planned to make voters confident that their vote counts,” he said.

With the election machinery now in full swing, Bihar is set to witness yet another high-stakes political battle in November, testing not only the strength of the state’s political alliances but also the Election Commission’s extensive preparations to ensure a smooth democratic exercise.