The 2025 Bihar Assembly elections are expected to be conducted in two to three phases, sources said. The Election Commission is reportedly planning the poll schedule while factoring in the dates of major festivals such as Diwali and Chhath. The current term of the Bihar Assembly ends on November 22, and the entire election process must be completed before that deadline.
In keeping with recent electoral trends in the state, the upcoming elections will likely be spread over multiple phases. In 2020, Bihar saw voting in three phases—71 seats on October 28, 94 seats on November 3, and 78 seats on November 7—with results declared on November 10. In 2015, polling was held in five phases.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is scheduled to visit Bihar later this month to oversee election preparations. Meanwhile, the Election Commission has begun training sessions for poll officials, including Booth Level Officers (BLOs), to ensure greater precision and accuracy in the conduct of elections. The training is also aimed at avoiding controversies related to voter lists, such as those witnessed recently in Maharashtra, Haryana, and Delhi.
To boost transparency, the Commission noted that no appeals were filed following the publication of the final electoral rolls in Bihar, Haryana, and Delhi between January 6 and 10. As part of its verification drive, ID cards will be issued to all BLOs, who will conduct door-to-door visits to authenticate voter details. Additionally, a special campaign will be launched to register first-time voters who have turned 18.
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In a major technological upgrade, the Election Commission is set to introduce ECINET—a single-point digital platform that will consolidate all election-related processes. This integrated dashboard will replace over 40 previously used apps and websites, and is expected to be fully operational by the time of the Bihar polls.
Several new measures are also being introduced to address issues faced in previous elections. Duplicate Electors Photo Identification Card (EPIC) numbers have been removed, and voter rolls will now be directly linked to the Registrar General of India’s death records to automatically eliminate names of deceased voters.
For voters, multiple enhancements are in the pipeline. The number of electors per polling booth will be reduced from 1,500 to 1,200 to manage crowding, and additional polling stations will be set up in densely populated areas. The Commission also plans to ensure that no voter has to travel more than two kilometers to reach a polling booth.
Polling booths will be established even in high-rise residential buildings, and mobile phone deposit counters will be provided outside polling stations. Voter slips will now clearly display serial and part numbers for easier identification at the booths.
Anticipating the influence of artificial intelligence in the upcoming elections, the Election Commission is preparing a dedicated cell to monitor AI-generated election content. Political parties have been advised to clearly label all AI-driven campaign materials to keep voters accurately informed and prevent misinformation. With these steps, the Election Commission aims to ensure a smooth, transparent, and technologically advanced electoral process in Bihar ahead of the 2025 Assembly elections.
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