Bihar Assembly polls to be held before Nov 22: Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar

Patna (Bihar) [India], October 5 (ANI): Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Sunday said that elections in Bihar will be held before November 22, when the term of the State Assembly ends.
Kumar said Bihar has 243 assembly constituencies, including two reserved for STs and 38 for SCs.
Addressing a press conference in Patna, the CEC Gyanesh Kumar said, "Bihar has 243 assembly constituencies - 2 for STs and 38 for SCs. The term of the Bihar Legislative Assembly ends on November 22, 2025, and elections will be held before that time... The Election Commission trained booth-level officers for the first time... SIR was launched on June 24, 2025, and completed by the deadline..."
Kumar congratulated voters on the successful completion of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and urged the people of Bihar to participate actively in the upcoming assembly elections.
He appealed to all voters to treat voting as a festival of democracy, just like the enthusiasm shown during Chhath, and ensure full participation at the polls.
"We congratulate the voters of India. Thank you to everyone for the successful SIR process. I appeal to all the voters of Bihar to celebrate this festival of democracy with the same enthusiasm as you celebrate Chhath. Everyone should vote and ensure their participation," Kumar said.
Kumar also praised Bihar's booth-level officers for their outstanding work in cleaning the voter list. He said 90,217 officers set an example for the entire country.
"Recently, the voter list cleansing work was carried out in Bihar, and the booth-level officers present before us not only carried out the work of cleansing the voter list in their booths, but 90,217 booth-level officers of Bihar performed a work that is exemplary across the country...Just as Vaishali in Bihar showed the world the path to democracy. Together, you will become a source of inspiration for the country in the work of cleansing the voter list," he said.
The Election Commission officials were on a two-day review visit to the state.
The electoral battle in Bihar is largely anticipated to be a direct contest between the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and the Mahagathbandhan, spearheaded by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
In the 243-member Bihar Assembly, the NDA currently holds 131 seats -- BJP 80, JD(U) 45, HAM(S) 4, and two Independents -- while the Mahagathbandhan holds 111 seats, comprising RJD 77, Congress 19, CPI(ML) 11, CPI(M) 2, and CPI 2.
Political activity has intensified across the State, with parties trading charges and ramping up campaigns ahead of the high-stakes election. (ANI)