ECI to announce Bihar Assembly election dates today

Guwahati: The Election Commission of India (ECI) will announce the schedule for the 18th Bihar Legislative Assembly elections today at 4 pm.

All 243 assembly constituencies, including two reserved for Scheduled Tribes and 38 for Scheduled Castes, will head to the polls before the current Assembly’s term ends on November 22, 2025.

The ruling JD(U)-BJP alliance is preparing for a tough electoral contest against the Mahagathbandhan, a coalition led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress.

The upcoming elections follow a heated political debate over the recently completed Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the state’s voter list.

The ECI undertook the revision to remove duplicate or outdated voter entries.

However, opposition parties have criticised the timing and intent of the exercise, accusing the poll body of favouring the ruling NDA.

In response, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar defended the revision, calling it the most comprehensive update in over two decades.

He stated that the voter roll had been “purified” for the first time in 22 years, addressing long-standing errors and duplication.

According to Kumar, the revised list is legally sound and aimed at enhancing transparency in the electoral process.

As political parties gear up for the elections, several have requested the Commission to schedule polling after Chhath Puja to maximise voter turnout.

The ECI is expected to take this into consideration while finalising the timeline.

Highlighting efforts to strengthen the democratic process, Gyanesh Kumar praised the successful completion of the SIR and encouraged citizens to participate actively in the elections.

“We congratulate the people of India for a successful voter list update and urge Bihar’s voters to approach this democratic exercise with the same spirit as they do during Chhath Puja,” he said on Sunday.

In preparation for the elections, the ECI has rolled out 17 new initiatives to improve voting procedures.

These include mandatory webcasting at all polling stations, coloured photographs on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), and permission for voters to carry mobile phones up to the outer perimeter of polling booths.

These innovations will set new benchmarks for electoral management nationwide.