• Source:JND
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Bihar Assembly Elections 2025: Bihar on Thursday, November 6, witnessed a record voter turnout in the first phase of the 2025 Assembly elections, the highest in the state’s 73-year electoral history. In a statement, the Election Commission (EC) said that the first phase of the Bihar elections was conducted successfully across all constituencies, with the "highest-ever voter turnout of 64.66 per cent" recorded in the history of the state.

Bihar Chief Electoral Officer Vinod Gunjyal said that the current voter turnout stands at 64.66 per cent, surpassing the polling percentage of nearly seven decades of previous elections. However, this figure reflects the first phase of voting. The overall turnout will be known after the conclusion of phase two, scheduled for November 11.

“The first phase of voting for the Bihar Assembly elections has been successfully completed. Voting is still ongoing in some places, and we're updating data. The current voter turnout is 64.46 per cent. We will release the final press note in an hour after everything is updated. The participation of women voters was very good,” news agency ANI quoted Gunjyal as saying.

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Historic Voter Turnout Trends In Bihar

- 1951-52 Assembly Elections: Bihar recorded its lowest voter turnout at 42.6 per cent in the 1951-52 assembly elections.

- 2000 Assembly Elections: The state recorded its highest voter turnout at 62.57 per cent.

- 2020 Assembly Elections: Held amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the voter turnout stood at 57.29 per cent.

- 2025 Assembly Elections: The current turnout is 64.66 per cent, surpassing nearly seven decades of past elections. The overall turnout will be known after phase two on November 11.

What Factors Contributed To The Surge In Voter Turnout In Bihar?

- Higher Women's Participation: A significant factor that drove the surge in turnout could be the participation of a large number of women voters in the first phase of assembly elections.

- Support From ‘Jeevika Didis’: The EC deployed over 90,000 women volunteers to assist and facilitate the women voters.

- Smooth Polling Operations: Major polling stations reported no firing incidents or major EVM malfunctions, encouraging higher voter participation.

- Reduced Voter Base: The overall voter base decreased from 7.89 crore to 7.42 crore after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, possibly inflating turnout percentages.

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- Political Sentiments: Political analysts note that the surge in turnout may indicate anti-incumbency (voters seeking change) or pro-incumbency (voters supporting the current regime).

- Other Factors: Better deployment of polling staff, mock drills, enhanced security, improved facilities, and an increase in polling stations likely contributed to the overall turnout, making it the highest voter turnout in decades.

(With Agency Inputs)

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