Bihar election 2025: Polling ends for 1st phase with record 64.6% voter turnout

Bihar election 2025 LIVE updates: Reacting to the alleged attack on the convoy of Bihar deputy CM Vijay Sinha, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has directed the DGP to take “immediate action”, PTI reports.

"No one will be allowed to take the law into their own hands. Strict action will be taken against the miscreants," an official said, quoting Kumar.

Bihar election 2025 LIVE updates: Reacting to the attack on his convoy, Bihar Deputy CM Vijay Sinha has warned of ‘bulldozer’ action against those involved. He claims that his convoy was attacked by supporters of the RJD.

Speaking to ANI, Sinha said: “These are the goons of RJD. Satta mein aa rahi hai NDA isliye inke chhati pe bulldozer chalega. The goons are not letting me visit the village. Vijay Sinha is going to win...They turned away my polling agent and did not let him vote...Look at their hooliganism...This is 404 and 405 booth numbers of Khoriari village.”

Bihar election 2025 LIVE updates: The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Bihar has rejected the Congress party's allegation that the EC supplied faulty Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to 10 districts. “Voting is proceeding smoothly in all assembly constituencies of the first phase,” it said in a post on X.

Bihar election 2025 LIVE updates: Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha, while speaking to the Superintendent of police (SP), alleges that stones and cow dung were thrown at him by RJD supporters.

"I am here at the village. The crowd is coming closer. Send Special Force here. I will sit here in protest. The SP is so weak and a coward. They are not letting the Deputy CM go in. They have hurled stones and cow dung," he is quoted as saying by ANI.

"These are RJD goons. Look at their hooliganism, even when they have not come to power...They threatened my polling agent and turned him away at 6.30 am itself. They are not letting voters come out..."

Bihar election 2025 LIVE updates: RJD supporters surround Bihar deputy chief minister and BJP candidate from Lakhisarai constituency, Vijay Kumar Sinha's car, hurl slippers, pelt stones and chant "Murdabad", forbidding him from entering Khoriari village, reported news agency ANI.

Following this, Sinha spoke to SP and said, “I am here at the village. The crowd is coming closer. Send Special Force here. I will sit here in protest…They are not letting the Deputy CM go in. They have hurled stones and cow dung.”

Bihar election 2025 LIVE updates: "The roti should keep turning on the tawa, otherwise it will burn. 20 years is too long! Now, for the youth government and the new Bihar, a Tejashwi government is extremely necessary," says former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav on X after casting vote.

Bihar election 2025 LIVE updates: A local in Danapur Diara told news agency ANI that they have been waiting to cast votes in the first phase of Bihar assembly polls but haven't been able to do so since they are not able to cross the water because there is no bridge.

"We are waiting here to cast votes, but we are not able to cross the water because there is no bridge. We are waiting for the boat. A bridge is needed for ambulances and school buses as well..." she said.

Bihar election 2025 LIVE updates: See the list of voter turnout till 1 pm in all 18 districts-

Madhepura- 44.36%

Saharsa- 44.20%

Darbhanga- 39.35%

Muzaffarpur- 45.41%

Gopalganj- 46.73%

Siwan- 41.20%

Saran- 43.06%

Vaishali- 42.40%

Samastipur- 43.03%

Begusarai- 46.02%

Khagaria- 42.94%

Munger- 41.47%

Lakhisarai- 46.37%

Sheikhpura- 41.23%

Nalanda- 41.87%

Patna- 37.72%

Bhojpur- 41.15%

Buxar- 41.30%

Bihar election 2025 LIVE updates: According to ECI, 42.31% polling was done till 1 pm across 121 assembly constituencies in Bihar during the first phase of state polls. Patna maintained lowest voter turnout at 37.72% while Gopalganj registered the highest voter turnout at 46.73%, followed by Begusarai at 46.02%.

Bihar election 2025 LIVE updates: Patna's district administration said that Voter Information Slip isn’t required for casting vote.

“EPIC or any one of 12 documents can be conveniently shown at polling stations by voters for establishing identity,” it said.

Bihar election 2025 LIVE updates: Union Minister and LJP(RV) chief Chirag Paswan cast his vote at a polling booth in Khagaria in the first phase of Bihar assembly polls and urged people to do the same.

"I have fulfilled my responsibility by casting my vote and I would like every person to do the same to elect a government of their choice..." he said.

Attacking the opposition Grand Alliance, Paswan said, "If Mahagathbandhan had put as much effort into connecting with the public as they did into finding excuses, then they would not have needed these excuses. Mahagathbandhan is losing the election. They make an issue of SIR, Rahul ji keeps holding press conferences every day, if so much wrong is happening, then why don't they go to the court..."

Bihar election 2025 LIVE updates: An unwell elderly woman was carried on a cot to polling booth by her family members in Alipur constituency so that she could cast her vote during the first phase of Bihar assembly polls.

Bihar election 2025 LIVE updates: Chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Thursday received a surprise call from Mosotho Moepya, chairperson of South Africa’s Electoral Commission, who extended his best wishes for the ongoing Bihar elections involving nearly 75 million voters, reported news agency ANI.

Moepya also conveyed that South African parliamentarians were keen to visit India soon to learn from what he described as “one of the most transparent and efficient electoral systems in the world,” the ECI added.

Bihar election 2025 LIVE updates: In Bihar’s Araria, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the NDA government was working with “complete honesty” to identify and deport infiltrators from the country.

“A very major challenge stands before these efforts of ours. That challenge is of the infiltrators,” he said. Modi accused the Opposition of siding with such elements, adding, “But these RJD and Congress people are busy protecting the infiltrators. They spread all sorts of lies to save these infiltrators, and take out political tours to mislead the people,” reported news agency ANI.

Bihar election 2025 LIVE updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked about the “power of vote” during and election rally in Araria and attacked the RJD.

He said, "Today, I am telling you about the power of your vote. Your grandparents, maternal grandparents' one vote had made Bihar the land of social justice. But then, the 90s decade came, and RJD's jungle raj attacked Bihar. Jungle Raj means - pistol, cruelty, corruption and misgovernance. These became the identity of jungle raj, and this became Bihar's misfortune. Your parents' dreams were crushed."

Bihar election 2025 LIVE updates: Amid the first phase of Bihar assembly polls, PM Modi said, “Only one voice is coming from all corners of Bihar, ‘Fir Ek Baar NDA Sarkaar" at an election rally in Araria.

Bihar election 2025 LIVE updates: As of 11:00 am, the overall voter turnout in the first phase of Bihar assembly polls was recorded at 27.65%. While Begusarai registered the highest turnout at 30.37%, followed by Lakhisarai at 30.32%, state capital Patna reported the lowest at 23.71%.

Bihar election 2025 LIVE updates: Former Bihar chief minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Rabri Devi on Thursday alleged that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi makes statements on 'katta' (guns), those from his party "fire bullets".

Speaking to reporters after casting her vote in Patna, Rabri Devi said, "Narendra Modi ji makes statements on 'katta' (guns) but it is the people of his party who fire bullets. Modi ji doesn't remember all that." (ANI)

Bihar election 2025 LIVE updates: As Bihar votes for the first phase of assembly elections, RJD MP Manoj Jha on Thursday hoped for a change in the government, saying that this is an election to bring change.

Speaking to ANI, Manoj Jha said, "This is an election to bring change. After 1952, elections were fought over fundamental issues such as employment, social security, etc. You will see its cumulative impact on the results on 14th November... Why was there no talk about a scheme for women's employment earlier? Why did Tejashwi have to raise these issues?" (ANI)

Mahagathbandhan Chief Ministerial face Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday reiterated the alliance's poll promises as a last-ditch effort to sway voters during the first phase of polling in Bihar.

“This is Tejashwi's guarantee that every family will get one government job. The rate of a gas cylinder will be fixed at ₹500. We will give 200 units of free electricity. We will make Jeevika Didis permanent, give them ₹30,000 annually. Will ensure a pension of ₹5 lakhs, and the interest on the loan will be forgiven. We will make electricity free for farmers. We will form a youth commission. We will ensure that students are not charged any fee to fill the application form for a job," Tejashwi is heard saying in the video message shared by RJD on X.

Bihar election 2025 LIVE updates: RJD alleged that electricity is being cut off intermittently at the strong booths of the Mahagathbandhan “with the intention of slowing down the voting. Slow voting is being deliberately caused.”

Responding to this, Bihar's Chief Electoral Officer said that the allegations are “completely baseless and misleading”.

“Voting is taking place smoothly at all polling stations in Bihar. The Election Commission of India is following all standard protocols to ensure that the voting process is fair, transparent, and uninterrupted. There is no basis for such misleading propaganda,” Bihar's CEO wrote on X.

Bihar election 2025 LIVE updates: The first-phaseof Bihar assembly polls will seal the electoral fate of new entrants in politics — folk singer Maithili Thakur, who is contesting from Alinagar in Darbhanga on a BJP ticket, as well as Bhojpuri stars Khesari Lal Yadav, who is the RJD candidate from Chhapra, and Ritesh Pandey, who is contesting in Kargahar on a Jan Suraaj Party ticket.

Bihar election 2025 LIVE updates: Voting is happening for the first time after 20 years in the Naxal-affected area of Bhimband in Bihar, reported news agency ANI.

A local villager said, "We are feeling very good. I am very happy that all of you came here... I am feeling very good (to have voted here for the first time in 20 years)... Earlier, the situation was not favourable since 2005... Now, there is no fear. We have been living peacefully ever since the camp (security forces) was set up here. The government facilities are very good here. We have also been given free rations for a few years now, and we are grateful for that. We have no problems anymore. We are living peacefully in the jungle. We are happy that a polling booth has been set up here. Young and old, everyone is able to cast their vote..."

Bihar election 2025 LIVE updates: Janshakti Janata Dal chief and candidate from Mahua assembly constituency, Tej Pratap Yadav, says, "I have to win the Mahua seat. I am facing candidates from RJD, LJP...The public will prefer the candidate who works, and reject the candidate who does 'farziwada'..."

Bihar election 2025 LIVE updates: Bihar's Chief Electoral Officer said that special e-rickshaws have been arranged by the district election branch at all polling stations in Siwan district for the convenience of persons with disabilities and elderly voters. Volunteers are also assisting people with disabilities and elderly voters at the polling center.