Bihar polls: 60.13% turnout in 1st phase; EC rebuts Opposition charges

New Delhi, Nov 6: Voting for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections concluded on Thursday with a turnout of 60.13 per cent recorded till 5 pm, according to data released by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

The polling, held across 121 constituencies in 18 districts, was largely peaceful, barring a few isolated incidents of violence and clashes.

Among the districts, Begusarai recorded the highest voter turnout at 67.32%, followed by Samastipur (66.65%) and Madhepura (65.74%).

The Bachhwara constituency in Begusarai saw the highest participation, with 69.67% of voters exercising their franchise till 5 p.m.

While polling officially closed at 5 pm, voters who had joined queues before the deadline were allowed to cast their votes.

A notable feature of the day was the enthusiastic turnout of women voters, continuing Bihar’s recent trend of high female participation in elections.

However, sporadic incidents of violence were reported. The most serious occurred in Lakhisarai, where the convoy of Deputy Chief Minister and BJP candidate Vijay Kumar Sinha was allegedly attacked with stones and slippers.

The incident led to a confrontation between BJP and RJD supporters before security personnel intervened to restore order.

Sinha blamed RJD supporters for the attack, accusing them of attempting to intimidate polling agents and alleging a return to what he described as a “booth-capture mindset”.

The RJD, meanwhile, alleged “targeted disruptions” and power outages at some polling stations, accusing authorities of bias.

In response, Bihar Chief Electoral Officer Vinod Singh Gunjiyal dismissed the Opposition’s charges as “completely baseless and misleading”.

The Election Commission stated that voting across all constituencies proceeded smoothly and that “all standard protocols were followed to ensure transparency and fairness”.

Meanwhile, to prevent cross-border disturbances, Uttar Pradesh deployed over 600 police personnel and 40 companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) along the UP–Bihar border.

The deployment includes 94 check posts, 45 equipped with CCTV surveillance, to prevent smuggling, maintain order, and monitor the movement of goods and individuals during the polls.

In this phase, 1,314 candidates contested across 121 seats. The key contest is between the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) and the Opposition Mahagathbandhan led by Tejashwi Yadav’s RJD.

Prominent candidates include Tejashwi Yadav, Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, JD(U) state chief Umesh Kushwaha, and RJD’s Bhola Yadav, a close aide of Lalu Prasad Yadav.

The second phase of polling will take place on November 11, covering constituencies bordering Maharajganj, Kushinagar, Ghazipur, Chandauli, and Sonbhadra.

Border security measures and restrictions on liquor and narcotics movement will remain in place until polling concludes.

With inputs from agencies