Patna, Nov 14 (NationPress) The Bihar Assembly elections of 2025 have ushered in a series of remarkable firsts: primarily, the state achieved an impressive polling rate of 67.13 percent, the highest since the nation gained independence. Additionally, there were no re-polls required across all 243 constituencies.

This high-stakes electoral contest in the Hindi heartland garnered attention for all the right reasons, showcasing a clean and violence-free electoral process, a sharp contrast to previous years when elections were often tainted by violence, murders, booth capturing, and instances of bogus voting.

A look back at Bihar’s electoral dynamics reveals a history where the democratic process was frequently compromised by political thuggery, impeding voters from exercising their rights freely.

The late 1980s and 1990s were particularly notorious in Bihar’s electoral history, characterized by goons and miscreants, often with the silent backing of political entities, wreaking havoc and obstructing the Election Commission from conducting fair elections.

The notorious ‘jungle raj’ period under the RJD saw rampant electoral fraud and numerous re-polls during Bihar elections.

During the 1985 Assembly elections, over 63 fatalities were reported, leading the election commission to mandate re-polling in 156 booths.

The 1990 Assembly elections, when the Janata Dal coalition took power, were marked by approximately 87 deaths.

In the 1995 elections, while the Janata Dal under Lalu Yadav improved its electoral performance, it was marred by a surge in violence and electoral fraud.

The then Election Commissioner T.N. Seshan had to delay the Bihar elections on four separate occasions due to unprecedented levels of violence and electoral malpractice.

The 2005 elections, which heralded the rise of Nitish-led JD(U), also witnessed re-polling in 660 booths due to violence and malpractice.

Since 2005, elections in Bihar have largely been free from violence and rigging, attributed to improved law and order in the state.

However, the ideal of flawless elections was achieved this year, as no re-polling was requested in any constituency, resulting in a violence-free election, aside from a few isolated incidents in Mokama.

The Election Commission declared that zero re-polls were necessary, marking a historic first for the state.

No irregularities or fraud were detected at any polling station, thereby eliminating the need for re-polling, the statement noted.