The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday hailed the "successful" conduct of the Bihar Assembly Elections 2025, with a record voter turnout of 67.13 per cent- the "highest ever" in the state since 1951. The Commission also said that no repolls were requested across any of Bihar's 38 districts. According to the ECI's official press note, 2,616 candidates and 12 recognised political parties participated in the two-phase polls on November 6 and 11, and none requested repolling in any constituency.
"Zero repolls in Bihar Assembly Elections, 2025 • No re-polls requested by 2,616 candidates • No re-polls requested by 12 recognised political parties," the EC said in the note. "Zero appeals during SIR in Bihar with 7,45,26,858 electors in the final Electoral Roll," the press note added. The Election Commission also outlined extensive arrangements for the vote counting scheduled for November 14. Counting will take place in all 243 Assembly Constituencies, overseen by 243 Returning Officers (ROs) and 243 Counting Observers, alongside candidates or their agents. A total of 4,372 counting tables have been set up, each staffed by a counting supervisor, assistant, and micro-observer, with over 18,000 counting agents to monitor the process.
The Commission confirmed that counting will begin at 8:00 AM, starting with postal ballots, followed by Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) counting from 8:30 AM. Postal ballot counting is to be completed before the penultimate round of EVM counting. "During EVM counting, Control Units are brought to the counting tables round-wise and shown to the counting agents to verify that the seals are intact and serial numbers match the records in Form 17C (Part I). The number of votes recorded in EVMs is cross-verified with entries in Form 17C. In case of any mismatch, VVPAT slips from that polling station are to be counted mandatorily," the press note further read.
Additionally, VVPAT verification will be conducted for a random selection of five polling stations per constituency to ensure complete accuracy. The Commission advises all to refer only to this portal for accurate and verified updates and not rely on any hearsay or unofficial sources. "Results will be compiled and made available round-wise and constituency-wise by the respective ROs on the official ECI results portal -- https://results.eci.gov.in.," it said. TV channels and internet media channels are also advised accordingly.
"The Commission advises all to refer only to this portal for accurate and verified updates and not rely on any hearsay or unofficial sources. TV channels and internet media channels are also advised accordingly," ECI further said in its press note. (ANI)