Bihar Election 2025 Phase 2: Voter turnout reaches 31.38% by 11 AM. [Photo: PTI]
The second phase of the Bihar Assembly Election 2025 began on Tuesday (November 11), with polling underway for 122 Assembly seats across 20 districts. According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), voter turnout stood at 31.38% by 11 AM, showing a moderate start to the day’s polling.
Officials said that long queues were seen outside several polling stations in the early hours, especially in rural regions where voters arrived before sunrise.
Among all constituencies, Kishanganj recorded the highest voter turnout at 34.74%, followed closely by Gaya at 34.07% and Jamui at 33.69%. On the other hand, Madhubani reported the lowest participation, at 28.66% till 11 AM.
Election officials noted that voter turnout was expected to rise steadily as the day progressed, especially after noon, when urban voters usually head to polling booths.
The second phase has several high-profile leaders and prominent faces in the fray. Notable among them are:
These contests are expected to be tightly fought, particularly in Jamui, Bettiah, and Katihar, where local equations and caste factors play a key role.
The Election Commission has deployed heavy security and ensured tight monitoring across sensitive booths. Over 1 lakh polling personnel are on duty, and webcasting is being used for real-time monitoring in high-risk constituencies.
Early reports suggest that the voter turnout is higher among women and first-time voters in several regions. Political analysts believe this may tilt the outcome in select constituencies where margins are thin. EC officials said, “Voting is peaceful so far, with no major incidents reported. The turnout may rise significantly after noon.”
Phase 2 is crucial for both the NDA and Mahagathbandhan, as it covers politically significant districts in north and south Bihar. The next phase of polling will further determine the state’s political direction ahead of the final counting on November 25.
In the 2020 Bihar Assembly Elections, the BJP-JD(U) alliance narrowly defeated the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan. The NDA bloc secured 125 seats — BJP (74), JD(U) (42), and others (9). The opposition alliance managed 75 seats for RJD, 19 for Congress, and 16 for other parties.
This year’s election is being seen as a referendum on governance and youth employment, with both alliances campaigning heavily on issues of development, inflation, and law and order.
