Overview
- The Election Commission and Bihar CEO finalized a 65.08% turnout for Phase 1 and reported no discrepancies after scrutinizing documents from 45,341 polling stations.
- Phase 1 covered 121 constituencies across 18 districts with an electorate of roughly 3.75 crore.
- Turnout topped the 2020 assembly (57.29%) and 2024 Lok Sabha (56.28%) figures, with officials noting notably high participation by women in several districts.
- Rival blocs framed the heavy voting differently, with NDA leaders calling it a vote of confidence and Opposition figures, including Tejashwi Yadav, saying it reflects a push for change; Rahul Gandhi repeated broader “vote theft” claims that the EC’s scrutiny did not substantiate.
- Police registered cases against four people for photographing EVMs during polling, while Phase 2 voting is slated for November 11 and counting for November 14.