Bihar Election 2025 Date: Bihar to vote in two phases on November 6 and 11; results on November 14

Elections for the 243-member Bihar assembly will be held in two phases on November 6 and November 11 and the results will be declared on November 14 in the final high-voltage electoral battle of the year.

In a media briefing on the Bihar poll schedule, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar said that over 7.4 crore people are eligible to vote in the upcoming Bihar elections including 14 lakh first-time voters. The CEC asserted that the Bihar elections will be conducted in a transparent and peaceful manner.

The Election Commission's announcement has set the stage for a keen showdown after months of intense buildup between the two main political fronts. On one side stands the ruling NDA — comprising the BJP, JD(U), LJP (RV) and HAM — while on the other is the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) of RJD, Congress and Left parties as key allies.

Moreover, the entry of Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj has added zing to the two-way clash, with the political strategist promising to upstage the traditional players and engineer an Arvind Kejriwal-style disruption in the state.

What's at stake in Bihar?

Bihar, which has the fourth-largest assembly, remains one of the most closely watched political theatres in the country. The complex caste dynamics of the state, a history of law and order issues, burgeoning poverty and high immigration have shaped the campaign narrative of major parties in the state. Bihar also sends 40 members to the Lok Sabha, making it a crucial politcal ground for parties like BJP and Congress.

In 2025, chief minister Nitish Kumar is facing his biggest test in the state as he eyes a record 10th term in office. Known for his trademark flip-flops that have helped him maintain a tight hold on power, Nitish now faces mounting anti-incumbency, shrinking influence within the NDA and rising concerns over his health.

The elections will also be a litmus test for BJP, which has emerged as the main force in the NDA despite the absence of a bankable face. Riding primarily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity, the party has carved a space for itself in the state and is biggest hurdle for the Tejashwi Yadav-led RJD, election after election.

For Tejashwi, the election is yet another opportunity to revive RJD’s dominance in Bihar and carry forward the legacy of his parents. The Yadav scion came close in 2020 when RJD emerged as the single largest party in Bihar. However, the numbers weren't enough to form the government. Though Tejashwi is often bogged down by the jungle raj-era legacy of his father, he remains the principal challenger to Nitish Kumar’s long-standing hold over Bihar politics.

Finally, the polls will also be the first political test for Prashant Kishor, the poll strategist who has emerged from the backroom and onto the main stage as he faces the biggest election of his career — with skin in the game. In the run up to the polls, Kishor has decided to shun the traditional caste politics for a more development-oriented poll plank, a gamble that can cut both ways.

Issues dominating Bihar

While the caste factor will always be the mainstay of Bihar, several issues made noise on the ground over the last few weeks.

The Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise emerged as the biggest flashpoint between the BJP and opposition in the run up to the polls. The EC said that the voter roll revision exercise — being conducted for the first time in 22 years — is aimed at “purifying” voter lists by removing ineligible, duplicate or deceased electors.

However, the opposition parties alleged that tens of lakhs of minority, Dalit and migrant voters, especially women, were wrongly excluded, raising questions over disenfranchisement and possible partisan targeting. It also triggered the "vote chori" campaign by Congress, spearheaded by Rahul Gandhi.

Issues like anti-incumbency, development fatigue and welfare promises also dominated the narrative in the state. In the last few weeks, the NDA government rolled out a flurry of schemes — especially targeting women, the underprivileged and backward regions — in a bid to assuage voter discontent.

Moreover, caste dynamics, alliance arithmetic and new entrants continue to drive the election's fault lines. The political weight of Yadav-Muslim consolidation under Tejashwi Yadav, made stronger by legacy of Lalu Prasad, poses a formidable challenge to the NDA in several strongholds.