Bihar Election Dates Polls On Nov 6 and 11

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced that the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections will take place in two phases, on November 6 and November 11, with the results to be declared on November 14. The decision follows a two-day review of the poll readiness in Bihar, during which the ECI consulted with political parties and enforcement agencies to ensure a free, fair and smooth election process. 

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar introduced 17 new measures tailored for this election. The reforms include a major cleansing of the electoral rolls after 22 years, doubling remuneration for booth-level officers, polling and counting staff, and enhancements like mobile phone deposit counters at polling stations and colour photographs of candidates on EVMs. For the first time, honoraria will also be paid to Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant EROs (AEROs). Full webcasting will be deployed in all booths. 

At present, the Bihar Assembly has 243 seats, of which the ruling NDA holds 131, while the Mahagathbandhan (opposition bloc) holds 111.  Political activity has surged across the state, with parties deploying strategies, making demands, and raising concerns about fairness.

Some parties have urged that polling be held after Chhath, Bihar’s major festival, to allow greater participation especially for voters residing outside the state. leaders also proposed a single-phase polling right after Chhath, while BJP requested enhanced paramilitary presence in backward areas to reassure voters. 

Observers note the timing and sweeping nature of electoral reforms could become topics of political debate. Critics, including some from Congress, have accused the ECI of losing impartiality. The final electoral roll, published on September 30, lists 7.42 crore voters, down from 7.89 crore in June. 

As the election campaign intensifies, all eyes will be on how these reforms play out in practice, and whether the ECI can manage to steer the polls with transparency, fairness and efficiency in a politically volatile environment.