Bihar witnessed stronger voter participation in the first phase of the Assembly elections on Thursday, with voter turnout reaching 42.31 percent by 1 pm, a notable rise from 33.10 percent recorded at the same time during the 2020 first-phase polls.
Polling for 121 constituencies across 18 districts began at 7 am and will continue until 6 pm, except in six Naxal-affected constituencies where voting will conclude an hour earlier at 5 pm.
Gopalganj registered the highest turnout at 46.73 percent, followed closely by Lakhisarai at 46.37 percent and Begusarai at 46.02 percent. The state capital, Patna, continued to show relatively lower participation with a turnout of 37.72 percent.
Other district-wise figures reported by 1 pm included Bhojpur at 41.15 percent, Buxar 41.10 percent, Darbhanga 39.35 percent, Khagaria 42.94 percent, Madhepura 44.16 percent, Munger 41.47 percent, Muzaffarpur 45.41 percent, Nalanda 41.87 percent, Saharsa 44.20 percent, Samastipur 43.03 percent, Saran 43.06 percent, Sheikhpura 41.23 percent, Siwan 41.20 percent, and Vaishali 42.60 percent.
Constituency-wise, Minapur (50.53 percent), Cheria Bariarpur (49.92 percent), Suryagarha (48.75 percent), Hathua (48.60 percent), Baikuthpur (48.23 percent) and Saharsa (47.84 percent) recorded the highest turnout.
Meanwhile, Digha (25.00 percent), Kumhrar (26.04 percent), Arrah (34.01 percent), Danapur (36.37 percent), Darbhanga (36.77 percent) and Alinagar (37.50 percent) saw the lowest voter participation.
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar cast his vote in Bakhtiyarpur, while Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Sinha, contesting from Tarapur and Lakhisarai respectively, also exercised their franchise.
Bihar Assembly Speaker Nand Kishore Yadav voted at the Patna Sahib constituency, urging citizens to participate in large numbers. Calling the election a “festival of democracy,” he appealed to voters to help form a “good government in Bihar.”
Rashtriya Lok Morcha leader Upendra Kushwaha, whose party is part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), voiced confidence in the alliance’s prospects, claiming that the voting trend pointed to a “thumping majority” for the NDA. He said that while the Mahagathbandhan may try to appear optimistic, the general voter mood was tilted towards the ruling coalition.
This phase will determine the fate of several high-profile candidates such as RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, BJP leaders Samrat Choudhary and Mangal Pandey, and JD(U) ministers Shravan Kumar and Vijay Kumar Choudhary.
Former Bihar minister Tej Pratap Yadav, estranged son of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav and founder of the Janshakti Janta Dal, is also in the fray from the Mahua seat in Vaishali district.
In the 2020 Assembly elections, polling was held across three phases. The NDA had secured 125 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan (MGB) won 110. Among major parties, JD(U) won 43 seats, BJP 74, RJD 75, and Congress 19.