NEW DELHI: The schedule for the Legislative Assembly elections in Bihar was announced on Monday by the Election Commission of India with polling to be held in two phases on November 6 and 11. The counting of votes for all 243 seats will be conducted on November 14.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at a press conference here, detailed that 121 of the State’s constituencies will go to the polls in the first phase, followed by the remaining 122 in the second phase. He assured that all necessary measures were in place for a peaceful, transparent and fair election. The term of the current Assembly expires on November 22, 2025.
The election will see an electorate of 7.43 crore (74.3 million) people decide the fate of the next government. According to the final electoral rolls published on September 30, this includes 3.92 crore men, 3.5 crore women and 1,725 transgender persons. A significant cohort of 1.4 million citizens will be casting their ballot for the first time.
Elaborating on the arrangements Mr. Kumar said that 90,712 polling stations would be set up across Bihar with 76,801 in rural areas and 13,911 in urban centres. To ensure transparency and monitoring all stations will be equipped with webcasting facilities.
In an effort to make the process more inclusive the Commission will establish 1,044 all-women managed booths 38 youth-managed stations 292 stations managed by persons with disabilities, and 1,350 model polling stations.
The CEC also highlighted the extensive voter list purification process undertaken in the State through a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) programme. The 243-member Assembly has 38 seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and two for Scheduled Tribes.
Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi were also present at the briefing.
