Bihar Elections 2025: What Does 65% Voter Turnout Indicate?

Bihar witnessed its highest-ever voter turnout in history during the first phase of the 2025 Assembly elections, held on Thursday, November 6.

According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), nearly 65% of the 3.75 crore eligible voters cast their votes across 121 assembly constituencies, making the event both peaceful and celebratory in nature. The poll body described the turnout — officially pegged at 64.66% — as a record in the history of Bihar. The first phase marked the beginning of a tightly contested political battle, seen as a crucial test for the incumbent Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.

The second phase of polling, covering 122 seats, will be held on November 11, while the results are scheduled for November 14.

Political Battle Lines Drawn

The main fight in Bihar is between the NDA, comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (United), and the opposition Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress. Also in the fray is Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraj Party, which has been gaining attention as a potential disruptor.

Following the record turnout, all major political parties claimed it as a sign of their impending victory.
RJD leader and Mahagathbandhan’s chief ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav thanked voters, saying, “The people of Bihar have sealed the victory of Mahagathbandhan through this bumper voting.” On the other hand, BJP’s Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary expressed confidence that the NDA would win “around 100 of the seats that went to polls” and possibly surpass its 2010 record of 206 seats.

Meanwhile, Prashant Kishor, founder of Jan Suraj, interpreted the high turnout as a “call for change.” He added that migrant workers returning for Chhath Puja had significantly contributed to the turnout, along with women voters. The Congress echoed similar sentiments, with spokesperson Pawan Khera claiming that “a clear majority” was on the horizon for the opposition.

What Does the Record Turnout Indicate?

Analysts say that high voter turnout in Bihar often reflects a mood for change, but caution that gender-based trends play a key role. Political analyst Amitabh Tiwari explained that if women outnumber men, the NDA could benefit — as seen in past elections. For instance, in 2020, the NDA won 27 of 43 seats where women voters outnumbered men, and in 2015, it captured 61 of 71 such seats. Conversely, a male-dominated turnout could favor the Mahagathbandhan.

Impact of SIR on the Elections

This year’s polls come after the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which drew criticism from opposition parties for alleged voter list manipulation. Despite the deletion of around 47 lakh voters, Bihar’s final voter list for 2025 stood at 7.42 crore electors.

However, the record voter participation suggests that the SIR exercise did not dampen enthusiasm among voters. Instead, the unprecedented turnout signals a politically awakened electorate ready to shape Bihar’s future in one of the most closely watched elections of 2025.