14 lakh first-time voters in Bihar polls, polling stations to have mobile phone deposit facility

New Delhi [India], October 6 (ANI): There are 14 lakh first-time voters and over 90,000 polling stations will be set up for next month's assembly polls to facilitate smooth voting, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar said here on Monday.
Kumar, who announced the polls schedule of Bihar at a press conference, said mobile phone deposit facility will be available at polling stations.
He said 7.42 crore voters (3.92 crore men and 3.5 crore women) are eligible to exercise their franchise.
Polling will be held in 243 assembly seats in two phases on November 6 and November 11 with counting of votes to be held on November 14.
"There are a total of 7.42 crore voters in Bihar, of which 3.92 crore are males and 3.5 crore are women. There are 14 lakh first-time voters and 4 lakh senior citizen voters (above 85 years)," Kumar said.
"At least 14,000 voters in the state are aged above 100 years. A total of 90,712 polling stations are being set up in Bihar," he added.
Kumar announced that Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) will be deployed in advance across sensitive areas as a confidence-building measure. He directed all election officials to act in an "absolutely impartial" manner.
The CEC also emphasised the importance of countering misinformation during the election period. "If there is any fake news or misinformation on any medium or platform, it will be countered," Kumar said, underlining the Commission's focus on maintaining the integrity of electoral discourse.
"Strict vigil will be maintained at all checkpoints to prevent the transaction of drugs, liquor and cash," he added.
He said of over 90,000 polling stations, 1,044 of those will be managed by women.
The Election Commission has published the final electoral roll for the Bihar assembly elections following the completion of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
"SIR (in Bihar) was done in a transparent manner. The SC directed the inclusion of the Aadhaar Card as the 12th document as proof of identification, but it will not serve as proof of citizenship. Section 9 of the Aadhaar Act states that the Aadhaar Card is neither proof of citizenship nor Domicile. Before 2023, many SC judgments stated that Aadhaar is not proof of date of birth. According to SC decisions and the Aadhaar Act, the Aadhaar Card is the sole proof of identity. Article 326 of the Constitution states that a voter must be at least 18 years old, a citizen of the country, and reside near the respective polling station. ECI has abided by the SC direction," Kumar said.
"Chhath Puja is on 28th October. All political parties had said that elections should be scheduled around this time. However, if you look at the specified duration needed after the issue of the notification of polls, elections could not have been held before the date announced," he added.
Referring to SIR, he said electors of Bihar "fully participated in the purification of the voter list in the state."
"After 22 years, the purification of voters' list was concluded in Bihar on 30th September 2025. Purification of electoral roll in Bihar to ensure no eligible voter is left out and no ineligible person is included," he said.
Kumar said ECI has already taken a decision to conduct SIR throughout the country.
"Mobile phone deposit facility will be available at polling stations...Serial and part numbers will be displayed prominently for easier voter verification," he said.
The CEC urged voters to check their names in voter list.
He said EC had different apps and implementation of the ECINET app, terming it as the "mother of all apps" with the Bihar polls.
A Election Commission release said that all critical events will be video-graphed.
"District Election Officers will arrange sufficient number of video and digital cameras and camera teams for the purpose. The events for videography will include filing of nomination papers and scrutiny thereof, allotment of symbols, First Level Checking, preparations and storage of Electronic Voting Machines, important public meetings, processions, during election campaign, process of dispatching of postal ballot papers, polling process in identified vulnerable polling stations, storage of polled EVMs and VVPATs, counting of votes etc," the release said.
It said the Commission has issued instructions for Webcasting in all polling stations of Bihar for the purpose of monitoring of the poll process. (ANI)