Will Bihar Voters Break Their Own Record This Time? What Early Poll Data Shows
In the 2020 Assembly elections, these same seats had witnessed a 55.81% voter turnout. This time, the participation rate has already touched over 40% in the first half.
Voter turnout in the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections has picked up speed, with 42.31% polling recorded by 1 PM on Thursday, according to the Election Commission. Voting began at 7 am across 121 constituencies in 18 districts and will continue until 5 pm. If this pace continues, Bihar could surpass its previous voting record.
Over 40,000 polling stations have been set up across these constituencies, where long queues of voters were seen waiting patiently to cast their ballots. In the 2020 Assembly elections, these same seats had witnessed a 55.81% voter turnout. This time, the participation rate has already touched over 40% in the first half, indicating higher enthusiasm among voters compared to the previous election, which was held in three phases.
| 9 AM | 11 AM | 1 PM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Begusarai | 14.60% | 30.37% | 46.02 |
| Bhojpur | 13.11% | 26.76% | 41.15 |
| Buxar | 13.28% | 28.02% | 41.10 |
| Darbhanga | 12.48% | 26.07% | 39.35 |
| Gopalganj | 13.97% | 30.04% | 46.73 |
| Khagaria | 14.15% | 28.96% | 42.09 |
| Lakhisarai | 7% | 30.32% | 46.37 |
| Madhepura | 13.74% | 28.46% | 44.16 |
| Munger | 13.37% | 26.68% | 41.17 |
| Muzaffarpur | 14.38% | 29.66% | 45.41 |
| Nalanda | 12.45% | 26.86% | 41.87 |
| Patna | 11.22% | 23.71% | 37.72 |
| Saharsa | 15.27% | 29.68% | 42.20 |
| Samastipur | 12.86% | 27.92% | 43.03 |
| Saran | 13.30% | 28.52% | 43.06 |
| Sheikhpura | 12.97% | 26.04% | 41.23 |
| Siwan | 13.35% | 27.09% | 41.20 |
| Vaishali | 14.30% | 28.67% | 42.60 |
| Overall Average | 13.13% | 27.65% | 42.31% |
So far, Gopalganj district has reported the highest polling percentage at 46.73%, while Patna has recorded the lowest turnout at 37.72%. In this phase, more than 3.75 crore (37.5 million) voters will decide the fate of 1,314 candidates, including key contenders such as Tejashwi Yadav, the chief ministerial face of the opposition INDIA bloc, and Samrat Choudhary, the BJP candidate and deputy chief minister.
Bihar Elections Phase 2
The second phase of polling will take place on November 11, covering 122 constituencies in 20 districts, while the counting of votes is scheduled for November 14. This election is widely seen as a direct contest between the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance).
As the first phase draws strong voter participation, signs suggest that Bihar’s electorate may well break its own record this time, reaffirming the state’s growing political engagement and enthusiasm for democratic participation.
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