The political fate of Bihar will be sealed today as the Election Commission of India begins the highly anticipated counting of votes for the 243-member State Assembly. The entire process, which commenced sharply at 8 am across all constituencies, will determine whether the incumbent National Democratic Alliance (NDA) retains power or if the opposition Mahagathbandhan manages to secure a majority.
The Counting Process and Unprecedented Arrangements
The Election Commission has left no stone unturned to ensure a transparent and efficient counting process. A massive infrastructure is in place, featuring over 4,372 counting tables supervised by 243 Returning Officers and supported by a staggering 18,000 counting agents. The sequence of counting will see postal ballots tallied first, followed by the votes cast using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
To further bolster public confidence in the electoral process, Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips from five randomly selected polling stations in each constituency will be verified against the EVM counts. While early trends are expected to start trickling in from around 9 am, the final and official Bihar Election Result 2025 will only be declared once the entire counting procedure is complete across all seats.
A Historic Election and the Key Players
This election has already made history with a record-breaking voter turnout. The two-phase polling, held on November 6 and November 11, witnessed a massive 67.13 per cent participation from the electorate. Remarkably, the Election Commission reported zero repolls across the state's 38 districts, labelling the exercise a resounding success.
A particularly encouraging statistic was the participation of women voters, which soared to an all-time high of 71.6 per cent. The main political battle in Bihar Election 2025 is a direct contest between two major blocs: the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan.
The NDA coalition comprises the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal (United), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), and the Rashtriya Lok Morcha.
The Mahagathbandhan, spearheaded by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), includes the Congress party, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) led by Deepankar Bhattacharya, the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), and Mukesh Sahani's Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP).
Exit Poll Predictions and Candidates in the Spotlight
While the historic voter turnout suggests the final result could spring surprises, most exit polls have predicted a victory for the NDA, allowing it to retain power in the state. However, the Mahagathbandhan has confidently claimed that it is on course to dethrone Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's government.
The key candidates whose fortunes are being closely watched include Tejashwi Yadav, the chief ministerial face for the Mahagathbandhan, BJP's Samrat Chowdhary, RJD's Tej Pratap Yadav, and the new political entrant and cultural icon, Maithili Thakur. The political landscape of Bihar is set for a definitive transformation as the day progresses and the final results emerge.
