Bihar’s first‑phase assembly elections are underway and voters have already lined up at many polling stations across 18 districts. By 3 p.m. on Thursday, over 53 % of the 3.75 million registered voters had cast their ballots, giving a solid start to the state’s election race.
High turnout in Begusarai, low in Patna
Begusarai district leads the way with a 59.8 % turnout, its overall vote‑share topped by the Cherai‑Bariarpur constituency (62.5 %) and the neighboring Bachhwara (61.0 %) and Teghra (60.3 %). Patna district, however, is the slowest, with just 48.7 % of voters abroad at the 3 p.m. mark.
Other key districts performed well by mid‑afternoon: Bhojpur 50.1 %, Buxar 51.7 %, Darbhanga 51.8 %, Gopalganj 58.2 %, Khagaria 54.8 %, Lakhisarai 57.4 %, Madhepura 56.0 %, Munger 52.2 %, Muzaffarpur 58.4 %, Nalanda 52.3 %, Saharsa 55.2 %, Samastipur 56.4 %, Saran 54.6 %, Sheikhpur 49.4 %, Siwan 50.9 % and Vaishali 53.6 %.
Early polling figures
The average turnout reached 42.3 % by 1 p.m. across 121 assembly booths. At 11 a.m., roughly 27.7 % of voters had turned out, with Begusarai, Lakhisarai, Saharsa and Muzaffarpur showing the strongest early support—each around 30 %. Patna fewest, with 23.7 %. Other districts posted encouraging mid‑morning levels, such as Madhepura (28.5 %) and Darbhanga (26.1 %).
Candidates and polling infrastructure
More than 1,300 candidates—1,192 men and 122 women—are contesting in this phase. Across 45,341 polling stations (36,733 rural, 8,608 urban), the Election Commission has set up 320 model booths, 926 women‑managed stations and 107 for persons with disabilities. Every station has live webcasting for real‑time monitoring.
Security and smooth voting
Security teams, including 15 police battalions and paramilitary units, guard all 18 districts. Voting in sensitive Naxal‑affected areas ends earlier—at 5 p.m. – to ensure safe turnout. Mock polls held in the morning verified that all systems were ready.
Peaceful voting
So far, the elections have proceeded calmly, with no major incidents reported. The focus remains on encouraging voter participation and maintaining order as the rest of the first phase continues.
As Bihar moves through the rest of its assembly polls, the turnout figures and contest dynamics will be closely watched by parties and observers alike, shaping the political landscape of the state for the coming years.
Source: ianslive
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