Patna: Bihar has become the first state in India to introduce e-voting in municipal elections and by-elections, marking a significant milestone in the country’s electoral process. Voting took place on Saturday, with citizens casting their ballots both via mobile devices and traditional electronic voting machines (EVMs).
According to the Bihar State Election Commission, an impressive 80.60% of voters registered for e-voting in the municipal elections participated remotely through mobile devices, including voters residing outside the state. In the by-elections, the e-voting turnout stood at 58.38%. Taken together, the average voter turnout through mobile-based e-voting across both elections was 69.49%.
In contrast, only 54.63% of voters turned out physically at polling booths to cast their votes via EVMs. The counting of votes is scheduled to begin at 8am on June 30.
Speaking at a press conference, State Election Commissioner Dr Deepak Prasad highlighted the historic nature of the initiative. “E-voting has previously been reported in the European country of Estonia. After that, it has been used for the second time in Bihar, in municipal elections both in the country and abroad,” he said.
Dr Prasad noted that e-voting has opened up opportunities for many voters who have historically struggled to reach polling stations, including pregnant women, elderly citizens, people with disabilities, and those suffering from serious illnesses. “Earlier, incurable patients were sometimes brought to polling stations on cots. This problem has been solved by e-voting,” he added.
The polls covered 96 municipal corporation posts, comprising 84 ward councillors, six deputy chief councillors, and six chief councillors. In the by-elections, voting was held for 40 posts, including 37 ward councillors, eight deputy chief councillors, and seven chief councillors.
Nine candidates were elected unopposed, with one unopposed victory in the municipal elections and eight in the by-elections.
Voting was conducted across 489 booths using EVMs, during which eight control units and two ballot units required replacement. A total of 538 candidates contested the elections, of whom 296 were women and 242 men. Authorities also reported that 6,000 individuals attempted to cast fraudulent votes, underscoring ongoing challenges in maintaining electoral integrity even amid technological advances.
