Bihar elections to be most transparent, secure: CEC

Bihar's 2025 elections will be the most transparent and secure in India's history, featuring new tech, enhanced oversight, and 12,817 new polling stations.

When Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar formally announced the two-phase 2025 Bihar assembly elections on Monday afternoon, he also spoke about a raft of new technologies the Election Commission of India (ECI) was leveraging, the 17 reforms it had undertaken and the upcoming Special Intensive Revision (SIR) across the country.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar (ANI)

The CEC described the upcoming elections as the most “transparent, secure and easy” in India’s history, noting ECI’s emphasis oversight to ensure the integrity of the process.

“Bihar elections this time might be the most transparent, secure, and easy in history of Indian elections. It will be the mother of all elections,” said Kumar.

ECI’s expanded use of technology will include the introduction of a mobile deposit facility outside polling booths and the app, ECINet, which allows voters to connect directly with booth level officers (BLOs) for queries or grievances.

With a total deployment of approximately 850,000 election officials, including 453,000 polling personnel, 17,800 micro observers, 28,300 counting officials, and nearly 100,000 Anganwadi sevikas, ECI sought to cover every aspect of the electoral process comprehensively.

The Election Commission has added 12,817 new polling stations across the state, raising the total number of polling stations from 77,895 to 90,712. Number of electors per booth will be capped at 1,200.

Kumar said ECI will use Anganwadi workers at all polling booths to assist in the identification of burqa or ghunghat-clad voters.

“Our Anganwadi workers will be deployed at all polling booths for verifying the identity of burqa-clad women. The guidelines of the commission are very clear about this – that how identity is verified inside a polling station, and they will be strictly followed,” he said. The move comes in the wake of requests from political parties, including the BJP, to ensure the proper verification of voters while maintaining privacy and dignity.

Addressing concerns related to the use of CCTV footage at polling stations, Kumar clarified that such recordings will only be shared with high courts. He noted that broadcasting or sharing footage with the public would violate voter privacy. He drew a parallel between the footage and Form 17A, which lists the electors who have voted, explaining that both are considered sensitive documents and are only shared with courts in case an election petition is filed. The CEC emphasised that the rules prevent public inspection of electronic documents, a measure introduced in December last year to protect against misuse.

“In Diara region, patrolling will be done by police using horses in at least 250 polling stations. Similarly, polling parties will travel by boat in 197 polling stations,” Kumar said.

On voter rolls, Kumar stated that data regarding illegal foreigners in Bihar was not maintained by ECI. Instead, such information was available with Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and assistant EROs of specific regions. He added that all relevant lists were shared at the district, legislative assembly, and state levels, and individuals can raise claims or objections before nominations are filed.

On SIR, Kumar said, “We had already mentioned in the SIR order that nationwide SIR will be conducted. Work has already started but the commission is yet to sit and have a meeting to discuss the dates.”

The CEC also announced that new voter cards will be issued to all newly added voters, and postal ballots will be counted before the last two rounds of vote counting to enhance transparency.

For the first time in Bihar, the Election Commission will appoint one general observer for each of the 243 constituencies and one police observer for every district to oversee the process. Kumar also warned of strict action against any fake news on social media that could affect the election’s integrity.

The CEC provided detailed directions to officials to ensure the elections are conducted smoothly. He emphasised “zero tolerance for violence, intimidation, or any interference with voters and candidates” and ordered adequate deployment of Central Armed Police Forces for confidence-building measures.

Officers were instructed to act impartially and remain accessible to all stakeholders, respond promptly to complaints, and monitor checkpoints against illegal movement of drugs, liquor, and other contraband. District-level social media teams have been tasked with countering misinformation, while technology platforms such as ECINet, cVigil, and the Suvidha portal will facilitate voter communication, reporting of violations, and streamlined filing of nominations and affidavits.

Kumar said that the Bihar elections will serve as a model for transparency, efficiency, and voter protection. “The entire election machinery is just a call away,” he said, highlighting the accessibility of election observers and officials to both political parties and the public. He said that with strengthened oversight, technology integration, and strict adherence to rules, the elections are expected to proceed without disruption, ensuring that all eligible voters can exercise their franchise in a secure and orderly manner.