The Election Commission of India (ECI) is scheduled to announce the much-awaited timetable for the Bihar Assembly Elections 2025 at 4 p.m. today, marking the formal commencement of the state’s electoral countdown. With the tenure of the current Bihar Legislative Assembly set to expire on November 22, 2025, the ECI must complete polling and counting before that date. The announcement will also bring the Model Code of Conduct into immediate effect, setting the stage for an intense electoral contest between the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the opposition Mahagathbandhan.
Ahead of the announcement, the ECI has undertaken extensive groundwork, including security and logistics reviews across the state. Poll commissioners held meetings with state authorities to assess law and order, infrastructure, and election readiness. The final voter roll, prepared under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, was officially published on September 30. Around 69 lakh names were removed during this process, leaving a finalized list of approximately 7.42 crore registered voters.
The Commission described the roll purification as a landmark reform effort, aimed at eliminating duplicate and ineligible entries. However, opposition parties have voiced concerns about potential voter exclusions, with some disputes pending before the Supreme Court. The ECI has also introduced 17 new electoral reforms designed to increase transparency and efficiency. These include updated rules for postal ballots, enhanced verification processes, and inclusion of candidate photographs on voting machines — measures that are expected to streamline the electoral process.
Today’s schedule announcement has already energized the state’s political machinery. Both the NDA and Mahagathbandhan alliances are finalizing their campaign strategies and seat-sharing agreements, anticipating a multi-phase election to balance festival schedules and administrative logistics. Analysts expect the voting to be conducted in two or three phases, likely after Chhath Puja in late October. In the previous 2020 assembly election, polling was conducted in three phases — on October 28, November 3, and November 7 — with results declared on November 10.
Key political figures, including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav, are expected to be at the forefront of their respective campaigns. The emergence of Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party, which has announced its intention to contest all 243 seats, adds another dynamic layer to the upcoming electoral battle.
At today’s press conference, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and his colleagues will release the complete schedule, detailing polling and counting dates. The announcement is expected to spark immediate responses from political leaders and prompt the deployment of campaign teams across Bihar’s districts.
The stakes are high for all major parties as Bihar’s 2025 Assembly elections are likely to set the tone for national political alignments ahead of future contests. The timing, structure, and transparency of the schedule announced today will not only determine the course of the state’s political future but also serve as a test of the Election Commission’s commitment to conducting free and fair elections.
