Patna, 6 Nov

Bihar recorded its highest-ever voter turnout on Thursday, with 64.66 per cent of 3.75 crore electors casting their ballot across 121 constituencies in 18 districts in the first phase of the Assembly elections. The previous high was 62.57 per cent in 2000, while turnout during the first polls in 1951-52 was 42.6 per cent, the lowest in the state’s history.

The Election Commission said polling concluded “peacefully in a festive mood”, but the ground reality told a different story, with multiple protests, boycotts, technical glitches and incidents of violence reported from across the state.

Deputy CM’s convoy attacked

The most dramatic incident occurred in Khoriari village, Lakhisarai, where voters hurled slippers and cow dung at the convoy of Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha. Video footage showed villagers surrounding his vehicle, raising “murdabad” slogans and blocking his entry, reportedly angry about lack of development.

Sinha, a three-time MLA contesting from Lakhisarai, blamed the RJD: “These are RJD’s goons. They know the NDA is returning to power. They turned away my polling agent and didn’t let him vote,” he told ANI, alleging disruptions at booths 404 and 405.
The BJP accused the RJD of orchestrating the assault, calling it a case of “hooliganism”.

Tensions were reported elsewhere too. In Siwan, locals greeted BJP candidate Devesh Kant Singh with “vote chor” slogans and forced him to leave. Reports by Aaj Tak and accounts from locals alleged that the names of Muslim and Yadav voters were removed from electoral rolls in large numbers, though the Election Commission has not commented on this yet.

Poll boycotts across areas

Several areas witnessed voting boycotts over unfulfilled local demands:

• Siwan: Piprahi village residents refused to vote at booths 56–57 (“No Booth, No Vote”). Voters at booths 311–312 in Daraunda boycotted polling over lack of a bridge.
• Muzaffarpur: In Kudhni, polling stations 113–115 saw a boycott over the demand for a cremation ground. Voters at booths 161, 162 and 170 in Gayghat did the same over demands for a bridge and road.
• Aurai: Booth 86 witnessed a boycott over long-pending rehabilitation after land acquisition for a dam.
• Darbhanga: Polling stalled at booths 284–287 in Kusheshwarsthan’s Sughrain Panchayat due to protests over incomplete roads.

First voting in 20yrs in Naxal-hit area

In a rare positive development, voting took place for the first time in 20 years in the Naxal-affected Bhimband village of Munger. “There is no fear now… we are happy that there is a polling station here,” an elderly voter said, crediting the security forces’ camp for restoring peace.

Violence and detentions

• Nalanda: Four BJP workers were detained in Biharsharif for allegedly distributing voter slips near booths 226–232.
• Saran: CPI MLA and candidate Dr Satyendra Yadav was attacked in Manjhi’s Jaitpur. His vehicle was hit with bricks, stones and sticks, leaving it damaged.
• Vaishali: In Lalganj, voting was halted at one booth after EVM malfunction triggered chaos and allegations of vote theft.

RJD alleged on X that voting was “deliberately slowed down” in areas favourable to the INDIA bloc, a charge rejected by the Election Commission.

The 243-seat Bihar Assembly polls are being closely watched as an early indicator ahead of 2029, coming on the heels of the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll, which opposition parties allege was manipulated by the EC.

Voting for the second and final phase will be held on 11 November, with counting on 14 November.