Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the Bihar Assembly elections have reinforced public confidence in the Election Commission of India (EC). Highlighting the role of young voters, he noted that the youth of Bihar have “overwhelmingly supported voter list purification” under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
Speaking at the BJP headquarters, the Prime Minister Modi said that the people of the state voted without fear, casting their ballots with enthusiasm and excitement.
“This election has further strengthened public trust in the Election Commission. The consistently high voter turnout over the past few years, including increased participation by the deprived and marginalized, is a significant achievement for the Commission. This is the same Bihar that was once dominated by Maoist terror. Voting used to end at 3 pm in Naxal-affected areas. But in this election, people voted freely and enthusiastically,” he said.
Referring to the period of “jungle raj,” PM Modi said violence at polling stations and looting of ballot boxes were common. “Today, Bihar is witnessing record voter turnout. Voting is peaceful. Every vote has been recorded, and everyone has cast their vote freely,” he added.
The Prime Minister highlighted that earlier Bihar elections often required repolling, but the situation has improved. “Before 2005, repolling occurred at hundreds of places. In 1995, it took place at over 1,500 polling stations. As the jungle raj ended, the situation improved, and this time, no repolling was needed in either phase of the election,” he said.
The PM urged citizens to actively participate in the SIR exercise. “The youth of Bihar have overwhelmingly supported voter list purification. Every voter is important, and every vote counts. Political parties must contribute fully to ensure complete purification of voter lists nationwide,” he said.
Prime Minister Modi also emphasized efforts to include Chhath in the UNESCO Heritage List, linking India’s cultural heritage to the world.
Reflecting on the NDA’s recent electoral successes, he said, “Last year, people gave the NDA a mandate for the third consecutive time. After the Lok Sabha elections, we also won assembly elections in many states with a resounding majority. Haryana, Maharashtra, Delhi, and now Bihar have all shown strong support for development and governance.”
According to the Election Commission of India, as of 9:30 p.m., the NDA has secured 188 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan has won 30 seats.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has emerged as the single largest party with 87 seats so far, followed by the Janata Dal (United) with 78 seats. The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) has also performed well, winning 18 seats so far.
For the Mahagathbandhan, the RJD has secured 25 seats, while the Indian National Congress has managed just six seats.
ANI