Patna: With Bihar’s Legislative Assembly elections slated for the end of this year, political circles are buzzing with speculation that the polls will likely be conducted in three phases. Sources indicate that the Election Commission is considering the timing to avoid major festivals like Diwali and Chhath, which fall in October and November.
The Election Commission team is expected to visit Bihar this month to finalize arrangements. The 2020 assembly elections were also held in three phases, setting a precedent for the upcoming polls.
Code of Conduct Imminent as Nitish’s Term Nears End
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s current term is set to conclude on November 22, 2025. This timeline suggests that the Model Code of Conduct could be imposed between September and October. It is widely anticipated that voting might commence in the last week of September and extend through the entirety of October, culminating in results declared in the first week of November.
The presence of three major festivals in October is a key factor behind the anticipated multi-phase polling, allowing for logistical ease and public participation.
A Look Back at the 2020 Results
The previous Bihar assembly election results, declared on November 10, 2020, saw the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secure a majority with 125 seats. The alliance led by Tejashwi Yadav, comprising the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance), won 110 seats.
Within the Mahagathbandhan, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) emerged as the single largest party with 75 seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 74 seats, while Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) (JDU) won the third-highest number of seats at 49. Other parties also made their mark: AIMIM secured 5 seats, Congress won 19 out of the 70 seats it contested, and the three leftist parties collectively bagged 16 seats out of 29 contested. The upcoming elections promise another keenly contested political battle in the state.
