Did Bihar Create Electoral History with Record Turnout and Zero Repolls?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Record voter turnout of 67.13% in Bihar Assembly Election 2025.
- No repolls conducted, marking a first in Bihar's electoral history.
- Significant female voter participation at 71.78%.
- Implementation of Bihar First initiatives for free and fair elections.
- Successful Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2025 updated the electoral roll.
New Delhi, Nov 12 (NationPress) The Bihar Assembly Election 2025 has marked a remarkable milestone with an astonishing voter turnout of 67.13 percent, the highest ever recorded in the state since Independence, and zero repolls across all constituencies, as stated by the ECI on Wednesday.
The ECI noted that during the Lok Sabha elections of 2014, 2019, and 2024, there were 96, three, and two re-polls conducted, respectively.
In the same vein, the Bihar assembly elections of 2015 and 2020 saw two and three re-polls.
This unprecedented achievement, according to the ECI, showcases the success of its Bihar First initiatives — a series of 17 focused reforms launched since March 2025 to ensure free, fair, and inclusive elections.
Noteworthy is the significant female voter participation, with a turnout of 71.78 percent compared to 62.98 percent among male voters.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, meticulously monitored the polling process through webcasting at all 90,740 polling stations, as per the ECI's press release.
The advanced digital infrastructure, powered by ECINet, ensured real-time supervision, voter facilitation, and timely data updates throughout the two-phased polls.
The Commission reported that the scrutiny of poll documents in all 122 Assembly Constituencies was conducted seamlessly in the presence of Returning Officers, General Observers, and over 460 candidates or their agents.
No discrepancies, malpractices, or irregularities were observed, leading to no re-poll recommendations — a first in Bihar's electoral history.
Among the major reforms was the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2025, which produced a clean and updated electoral roll with 7.45 crore registered voters.
According to the ECI, “SIR 2025 was executed with zero appeals to ensure that the Bihar Electoral Roll was current and accurate. From this exercise, 7,45,26,858 electors were deemed eligible to vote in the elections across two phases.”
Other significant initiatives included training Booth Level Officers in Delhi’s IIIDEM, doubling honorariums for election personnel, establishing mobile deposit facilities outside polling stations, and ensuring 100 percent webcasting to enhance transparency.
The Commission also introduced enhancements in EVM design, mandated VVPAT counting protocols, and launched a voter-centric app under ECINet for near real-time updates.