Bihar Election Dates 2025: NDA & INDIA bloc battle-ready; poll dates to be announced today at 4pm

Bihar Election Dates 2025: The Election Commission of India (ECI) will notify the polling schedule for the Bihar Assembly elections at 4 PM today. This will mark the initiation of one of the year’s most consequential political battles. With the expiry of the current assembly’s tenure on November 22, today’s notification should pave the way for an election with great competition between the current ruling party, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), and the opposition, the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance).

This news has generated national interest. Political parties, voters, and political observers are all clamoring for information about polling days, polling “phases,” and the formal election timetable.

Statement by the Chief Election Commissioner

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar addressed the media before the announcement. He noted that voting will conclude in all 243 assembly constituencies by November 22.

In an attempt to garner the attention of voters, he spoke partially in Bhojpuri,

“We congratulate the voters of India. We invite all voters in Bihar to celebrate this democracy festival, as you celebrate Chhath Puja.”

He also commented on a number of essential changes in the upcoming elections:

1. There will be a limit of 1,200 voters at each polling booth to enhance crowd control at polling locations.
2. There will be colored serial numbers with an image of the candidate on the ballot to promote better understanding of the voting process.

The Chief Election Commissioner addressed the opposition’s criticism of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter lists. He also said this is done as a matter of law before every election. Any review post-election would violate rules of the election.

Bihar’s Political Landscape: NDA vs Mahagathbandhan

In the Bihar Assembly election there will once again be a direct contest. The two major coalitions are:

• The NDA (National Democratic Alliance) led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar currently has 131 seats. (BJP 80, JD(U) 45, HAM(S) 4, Independents 2)
• Mahagathbandhan led by RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav has 111 seats. (RJD 77, Congress 19, CPI(ML) 11, CPI(M) 2, CPI 2)

Political rhetoric has ramped up as both sides hold rallies and campaigns, public meetings across Bihar. The opposition wants the election to happen after Chhath Puja when many migrant workers come back to their homes and will be more able to vote.

Looking Back on Bihar’s Political Landscape

The 2020 Bihar Assembly elections occurred in three phases in the era of Covid-19, resulting in a NDA victory and Nitish Kumar remaining Chief Minister.

Nonetheless, there have been multiple changes in Bihar’s political scenario since then:

• In 2022, Nitish Kumar cut ties with the NDA and formed a government with the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan.
• In 2024, he again changed sides, returning to the NDA and once again changing the coalition arrangements in Bihar.

These political changes will be important issues in campaign speeches and conversations with voters during this election period.

The Controversy about the Voter List: Bihar SIR

One of the most controversial issues heading into the election has been the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list, which is a key part of the electoral process. The lists were published on September 30, and this update shows nearly 38 lakh fewer voters, from 7.8 crore on January 1, 2025, to 7.42 crore.

This update has the following breakdown:

• 21.53 lakh new cases
• 3.66 lakh removals
• 15.5 less male voters (-3.8%)
• 22.7 lakh less female voters (-6.1%)

Opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav have been vocal about their concerns and the timing of the amendment and organized a “Voter Adhikar Yatra” throughout Bihar to make their objections public.

With the expectation of the Election Commission’s announcement at 4 PM regarding Bihar, both political strategists and residents are preparing for a confrontational and potentially transformative election season in Bihar. Given Nitish Kumar’s shifting allegiances, the growing engagement of the Opposition, and the disputes over the voter list, the Bihar elections are almost certainly going to be one of the most followed stories encountered among trending news today.