The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday announced the schedule for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, setting the stage for an intense political showdown.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, during a press briefing, confirmed that polling across the state’s 243 constituencies will be held in two phases — on November 6 and November 11 — while votes will be counted on November 14.
“The Election Commission wants to tell voters of Bihar that we will ensure elections are conducted transparently while maintaining law and order. The total number of electors is 7.43 crore, including around 14 lakh first-time voters,” said the Chief Election Commissioner.
The elections are expected to see a fierce multi-party contest. The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) in partnership with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), will seek to retain its hold on power.
Smaller NDA allies such as the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), and the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) are also gearing up to play a decisive role in their regional strongholds. Seat-sharing discussions within the alliance have been finalised in recent days.
Meanwhile, the opposition Mahagathbandhan — comprising the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, and Left parties — is focusing its campaign on key issues including youth employment, social welfare, and caste-based inclusion.