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When Bihar posted a record first‑phase turnout of 64.66 per cent this election – up about 8.5 points from 2020, what were the driving factors behind this surge and will it reshape power in the state?
121 constituencies recorded a turnout of 64.66 % in Bihar Elections 2025 phase 1.
New Delhi: On November 6, the first phase of the Bihar election 2025 recorded a turnout of 64.66 per cent across 121 constituencies in 18 districts, electing to the state’s 243‑seat legislature. This is a notable jump of around 8.5 percentage points from the approximately 56.1 per cent recorded in the first phase of 2020. On a weekday, more than 3.75 crore voters came out to cast their ballots, signalling unusually high engagement in the political process.
Electoral‑Roll Clean‑Up
A special intensive revision of the voter list removed nearly 65 lakh entries including deceased, shifted or duplicate electors. With fewer registered electors, the same or higher number of actual voters translates into a higher turnout percentage.
Women and Access‑Focused Measures
Targeted efforts were made to encourage women voters and improve polling accessibility. Dedicated booths, outreach volunteers and facilitation for marginalised voters helped reduce voter‑access barriers and lifted participation.
Bihar phase 1 polling underway; PM Modi urges people to vote with ‘full enthusiasm’
Improved Polling Infrastructure & Oversight
The Election Commission monitored polling live, restricted booth sizes, ensured more polling stations in rural zones and reduced crowding. These logistic improvements boosted voter confidence and eased participation.
Intense Campaigning & High‑Profile Mobilisation
The surge in turnout was aided by national‑level leadership campaigning across Bihar. The heightened political environment and focused mobilisation raised voter motivation and turned voting into a perceived civic imperative rather than mere routine.
Historical Momentum & Regional Stakes
In Bihar’s electoral history whenever turnout has risen by more than five percentage points a government change has often followed – in 1967, 1980 and 1990. With this time’s rise of 8.5 points, political corridors are on alert whether history will repeat itself.
Bihar Election 2025: ‘60% People Want Change,’ Prashant Kishor Says Jan Suraaj Emerges as New Hope
The 121 seats this phase covers lie south of the Ganga and include the Mithilanchal‑Kosi‑Munger‑Saran‑Bhojpur belt, long seen as a bellwether in Bihar politics. In the 2020 poll this area delivered tightly contested results: the Mahagathbandhan won 61 seats versus the NDA’s 59. This time shifting alliances – including the VIP joining the Grand Alliance and other parties realigning – raise fresh expectations and stakes. With the record turnout in this region, both major alliances frame the surge as favourable to their chances.
The big question now is whether this surge in turnout supports continuity or change. A higher turnout historically suggests anti‑incumbency, but not always. What matters now is whether the number of new or previously disengaged voters who turned out favour one block over the other. With results set for November 14 after the second phase polls on November 11, all eyes are on whether the high turnout will herald a shift in the power balance or reinforce the existing regime.
