NEW DELHI (Oct 6) — The Bihar Assembly elections will take place in two phases on November 6 and 11, with vote counting scheduled for November 14, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar announced on Monday. The entire election process will conclude by November 16.
Describing the upcoming polls as the “mother of all elections,” Kumar said the first phase will cover 121 constituencies, while 122 constituencies will vote in the second phase, completing the state’s full 243-member Assembly, which includes two seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes and 38 for Scheduled Castes.
For the first phase, nomination filing will close on October 17, scrutiny will be held on October 18, and the last date for withdrawal is October 20.
For the second phase, nominations will close on October 20, scrutiny will take place on October 21, and candidates can withdraw their nominations until October 23.
Kumar also announced a new measure for transparency, stating that it is now mandatory to complete the counting of postal ballots before the last two rounds of vote counting.
The term of the current Bihar Assembly ends on November 22, and the upcoming polls will determine the state’s political direction amid a competitive battle between the ruling coalition and opposition alliances.