Patna: Polling for the first phase of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections is currently underway across 18 districts, covering 121 constituencies. Voting began at 7 a.m. and will continue until 6 p.m. According to the Election Commission, out of these, 104 seats are witnessing direct contests, while 17 are facing three-cornered fights. The elections are being conducted in two phases for all 243 Assembly seats, with counting scheduled for November 14.
The voting process started peacefully in most areas but was marred by several incidents of technical glitches and sporadic disruptions due to Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) malfunctions. At booth numbers 334 and 335 in Lalganj, Vaishali district, polling was halted after the EVM developed a fault, leading to an uproar among voters who raised slogans of “vote thief.” Similar technical issues were reported from booth number 153 in Darbhanga and one booth in Raghopur, where polling had to be temporarily suspended.
In Danapur, voting was interrupted at booth number 196 after an EVM malfunction, though it resumed after about half an hour. A similar issue at booth number 316 in Bakhtiyarpur caused long queues as voters waited for polling to restart. Technical problems were also reported from Madhepura and Raghopur.
Meanwhile, polling was boycotted at three booths — numbers 161, 162, and 170 — in Muzaffarpur’s Gaighat Assembly constituency, where locals refused to vote over demands for road and bridge construction. Election officials said efforts are being made to persuade voters to participate.
Lalu Family Casts Votes in Patna
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family cast their votes at the Veterinary College booth in Patna. Lalu was accompanied by Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav, his wife Rajshree, and sister Misa Bharti. Speaking to reporters, Rabri Devi said, “My blessings go to both my sons. Both Tej Pratap and Tejashwi are contesting the elections on their own strength.”
High-Profile Contests
The first phase features several high-stakes battles, with prominent leaders including Tejashwi Yadav, Tej Pratap Yadav, Samrat Chaudhary, Vijay Kumar Sinha, and Anant Singh in the fray. These contests are expected to set the tone for the rest of the election.
Voting Shortened at Sensitive Booths
In view of security concerns, the Election Commission has limited polling time to 5 p.m. at sensitive booths in Simri Bakhtiyarpur, Mahisi, Tarapur (Munger district), and Jamalpur. Additional security forces have been deployed in these areas to ensure smooth conduct of the polls.
Poll Official Falls Ill
Polling was briefly affected in Fatuha’s Hajipur village after the presiding officer at booth number 254 fell ill and had to be hospitalized. Replacement staff were quickly arranged to ensure continuity of the voting process.
Despite minor disruptions, polling officials said the overall process has been peaceful so far, with moderate to high voter turnout reported across districts. The Election Commission has reiterated its commitment to ensuring free, fair, and transparent elections in the state.
