Counting for eight Bihar Legislative Council seats got underway at 8 am on Tuesday at the Bankipur Girls' School in Patna, even as opposition voices raised an immediate alarm over the alleged absence of CCTV cameras inside the actual counting area — triggering a sit-in protest and casting a shadow over the transparency of the exercise.

The CCTV Allegations

Jan Suraaj Party MLC candidate Anuj Singh was among the first to flag concerns, pointing to what he described as a visible gap between the arrangements outside and inside the counting hall. “You can see that a carpet has been laid outside, but inside, where the counting is taking place, there is a lot of dirt. CCTV cameras may have been installed here, but there are no CCTV cameras where the counting is taking place,” Singh said.

Congress leader Sanjay Yadav escalated the matter further by staging a sit-in protest at the counting centre, vowing to remain until cameras were visibly installed in the counting zone. “There is no CCTV camera at the counting centre, and I doubt there will be misconduct. If cameras are not allowed inside, please show us the official provision,” he said. The allegations have collectively raised questions over the integrity of arrangements at the venue as counting continued.

Security and Entry Protocols

Officials maintained that security measures were strictly enforced at the Bankipur premises. Magistrate Anugya said all entrants — including counting agents, representatives, and staff — were being thoroughly checked. “No one is allowed to carry a mobile phone inside. We are checking everyone,” she confirmed. Entry was restricted to authorised pass-holders, and mobile phones were prohibited within the premises.

Seats, Candidates and Voter Turnout

The counting covers four Graduates’ constituencies and four Teachers’ constituencies, with a total of 150 candidates in the fray — 90 in the Graduates’ seats and 60 in the Teachers’ seats, according to officials. Voter turnout recorded during polling stood at 82.85% in the Teachers’ constituencies and 53.42% in the Graduates’ constituencies — figures that indicate substantially higher engagement among the teaching community.

NDA Camp Confident

Janata Dal (United) Chief Spokesperson and MLC candidate Neeraj Kumar projected confidence ahead of the results. “This Patna Graduates’ Constituency, which is being called a hot seat, is actually a cool seat. Considering the voters’ inclination, the restraint shown by our workers, and the seriousness with which the NDA leadership contested the election, we are confident that the election results will be in our favour,” he said.

The results will determine the legislative fortunes of candidates fielded by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal (United) (JD-U), Jan Suraaj Party, Congress, and other parties contesting the eight seats. With the CCTV controversy still unresolved as counting progressed, demands for a formal response from election authorities are likely to intensify before the final tallies are declared.