The Election Commission of India (ECI) will announce the schedule for the Bihar Assembly elections and bypolls in select states at 4 pm today. The announcement comes after a two-day review of election preparedness in Bihar, where officials held meetings with political parties, law enforcement, and district authorities to ensure free and fair polling.
#ECI to hold a Press Conference at 4 pm today to announce the schedule for the Legislative Assembly Elections in #Bihar
In image: Media Invitation pic.twitter.com/iUcVymittF
— Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) October 6, 2025
EC Set for Major Announcement
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, during the review, outlined 17 new measures for the upcoming Bihar polls. He said that voter list management had been significantly improved. “A complete cleansing of the voter list has been carried out for the first time in 22 years,” he said.
The process involved all 243 Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and over 90,000 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) across the state.
JD(U) Demands Single-Phase Polling
Ahead of the official announcement, the ruling Janata Dal (United) urged the Election Commission to conduct polling in a single phase. JD(U) working president Sanjay Kumar Jha said, “We urged the EC to hold assembly elections in a single phase. It is possible. The state has no law and order problem, nor is it in the throes of Naxal violence. If elections could be held in a single phase in Maharashtra, why not here?”
In 2020, the Bihar Assembly elections were conducted in three phases amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Term of Bihar Assembly Ends on 22nd November
The term of the current Bihar Legislative Assembly ends on November 22, 2025. This means the elections must be completed before that date. Once the Election Commission announces the polling schedule today, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) will come into effect immediately across the state.
NDA vs Mahagathbandhan: A Fierce Contest
The 2025 Bihar Assembly elections are shaping up to be a direct contest between the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and the Mahagathbandhan, spearheaded by Tejashwi Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
In the outgoing 243-member Assembly, the NDA holds 131 seats — BJP (80), JD(U) (45), HAM(S) (4), and two Independents. The Mahagathbandhan holds 111 seats — RJD (77), Congress (19), CPI(ML) (11), CPI(M) (2), and CPI (2).
Jan Suraaj to Enter the Fray
Adding a new twist to the political landscape, Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj will make its electoral debut this year. The party has announced plans to contest all 243 constituencies, aiming to present itself as an alternative to both NDA and Mahagathbandhan.
The stage is now set for an intense political battle in Bihar, where Nitish Kumar will look to extend his legacy, and Tejashwi Yadav will seek to reclaim his father’s political bastion.
