Bihar election dates to be announced at 4 pm today: Election Commission officials

Bihar election schedule: The announcement comes after a comprehensive two-day review of poll preparedness in the state.

Bihar Assembly election schedule is set to be announced today at 4 pm, Election Commission officials said.

Bihar assembly elections: Voting is expected to be held in multiple phases (PTI)

The announcement comes after a comprehensive two-day review of poll preparedness in the state. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, held a series of meetings in Patna over the weekend to assess security arrangements, logistics, and enforcement preparedness with top state officials to ensure free, fair and inducement-free elections.

“We are fully committed to conducting elections in Bihar that are transparent, inclusive and peaceful,” CEC Gyanesh Kumar said.

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The review covered every aspect of election planning — from EVM management, polling station rationalisation, and training of poll staff to law and order arrangements and voter awareness campaigns. District Election Officers and Superintendents of Police were directed to keep a close watch on social media for misinformation and take swift legal action when required.

Ahead of today’s announcement, the poll body also met representatives from major national and state political parties including the BJP, JD(U), RJD, Congress, CPI(ML), AAP and others to seek their suggestions on the election schedule. Several parties urged the Commission to conduct the polls after Chhath Puja, Bihar’s most important festival, to maximise voter turnout.

JD(U) Bihar president Umesh Singh Kushwaha said the party had requested single-phase polling immediately after the festival so that migrant voters could return home to cast their votes. The BJP echoed this demand, calling for elections in one or two phases and deployment of paramilitary forces in sensitive areas to boost voter confidence.

The previous Assembly elections in 2020 were held in three phases.

The schedule will be announced just days after the publication of the final electoral roll on September 30, which put the total number of electors at 7.42 crore. The Special Intensive Revision of the rolls was completed ahead of schedule, clearing the way for the announcement.

The upcoming elections are expected to be a direct contest between the NDA, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and the Mahagathbandhan, spearheaded by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

In the 243-member Assembly, the NDA currently holds 131 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan has 111.