In the final stretch of the Bihar Assembly elections’ second phase, voters registered their largest participation ever while new polling stations, tight border security and stronger monitoring reshaped the narrative
The second round of voting across 20 districts and 122 constituencies in Bihar reached a dramatic conclusion on November 11 with a voter turnout of 66.91 per cent, the highest ever recorded for the state in any phase of its elections. Earlier, Phase 1 had delivered 65.08 per cent turnout.
Of particular note: early-morning figures showed 14.55 per cent turnout by 9 a.m. and 31.38 per cent by 11 a.m., both ahead of the equivalent first-phase pace.
Key Highlights & What’s Different This Time:
- The scale of polling has been intensified: Around 45,399 polling stations were operational, catering to over 3.7 crore eligible voters in the second phase.
- For the first time in many remote/unrest-prone pockets—such as the village of Choramara in Jamui district (previously a Naxal influence zone) and Rehal village in Rohtas voting stations were set up locally, enabling thousands who earlier travelled far to vote on-site.
- Security arrangements for this phase were escalated: the border with Nepal was sealed for 72 hours in sensitive districts, and deployment of central forces, drone monitoring and high-tech equipment were utilised to ensure peaceful polling.
- The profile of the contest: A total of 1,302 candidates vied for votes in Phase 2 alone, including nine to twelve sitting ministers and former ministers whose political fate was at stake.
- Compared to previous iterations, voter enthusiasm is visibly higher—with long queues, first-time young voters (~7.69 lakh aged 18-19 in this phase) and a surge in female participation (71.6 % of female voters voted this phase vs 62.8 % male) according to polling data.
- Political narratives also shifted: While traditional themes of caste and regional identity remain, issues such as infiltration in border regions and development promises featured strongly this round.
Why this matters:
The elevated turnout and more inclusive polling infrastructure suggest that citizen engagement in Bihar has reached new peaks. The fact that polling reached newly accessible pockets, and that security and oversight were visibly reinforced, marks a departure from previous elections. While media and analysts are already pointing to an expected sweep for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) as per exit poll projections, the real test will be whether this heightened participation translates into a mandate for change or continuity a verdict awaited on November 14 when results are due.
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