Bihar on edge ahead of counting day as Rohtas EVM row sparks political storm

On the eve of the high-stakes counting of votes for the Bihar Assembly election, the district administration in Rohtas on Thursday dismissed the RJD's (Rashtriya Janata Dal) explosive claim that a truck “loaded with EVMs” had entered a counting centre in Sasaram without prior permission.

Bihar's largest opposition party had posted a video on X asking why a vehicle allegedly carrying voting machines was allowed inside, why the driver was not produced before the public, and why CCTV footage was reportedly unavailable after 2.00 pm.

District magistrate Udita Singh, who is also the district election officer, rejected the allegation outright and said the truck that entered the Bazar Samiti counting centre at 7.59 pm on Wednesday carried only empty steel boxes, not EVMs.

“The truck entered after proper police checking and logbook entry,” she told reporters. “Every single box was opened and checked in the presence of those deployed by political parties and their supporters, who were present in large numbers.”

The DM said a team was immediately sent to verify the claims and found them to be “false”. The truck, she added, was parked around 500 metres from the strong room and did not pose any risk to the integrity of the stored EVMs.

The administration also pushed back against claims that CCTV cameras were dysfunctional. Singh said all cameras were running, monitored, and accessible to representatives of candidates through a dedicated viewing system. Cameras have been installed at all entry and exit points of strong rooms, she added, with round-the-clock surveillance.

However, Singh did not elaborate on why a truck carrying empty metal boxes needed access to the counting premises in the first place. The chief electoral officer of Bihar reposted the district administration’s clarification on X, signalling the state’s attempt to contain the controversy ahead of counting day.

Even as the Rohtas episode caused political turbulence, Bihar remained on edge on Thursday, with voters awaiting the verdict of the Assembly election.

The state recorded a historic 67.13 per cent turnout across the two phases held on 6 and 11 November — the highest ever in its electoral history. Many see the elections as a referendum on JD(U) supremo and incumbent chief minister Nitish Kumar’s bid for a fifth term, making him one of India’s longest-serving chief ministers.

Counting will begin at 8.00 am on Friday across 46 counting centres in 38 districts, and the first definitive trends are expected by 9.00 am.

The Election Commission said all EVMs and VVPATs have been sealed in strong rooms under a double-lock system, with videography conducted in the presence of Central observers and candidate-appointed agents.

A two-tier security ring has been deployed: Central Armed Police Forces guard the inner perimeter while state police manage the outer cordon. Strong rooms are under 24×7 CCTV surveillance, and control rooms staffed by senior officials have been activated at each campus. District election officers and returning officers have been directed to carry out frequent inspections.

This year, 7.45 crore voters decided the fate of 2,616 candidates contesting the 243 seats in the assembly.

Exit polls have projected a decisive win for the NDA, prompting sharp reactions from the opposition INDIA bloc. Tejashwi Yadav, the RJD leader and the bloc’s chief ministerial candidate, dismissed the surveys as “directed by the BJP’s top leadership” and asserted that the alliance would form the next government “with a thumping majority”. He further alleged that the BJP might attempt to delay the counting process — a claim the ruling coalition has rejected.

The NDA comprises the BJP, JD(U), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), Rashtriya Lok Morcha and VIP, though the lion’s share of seats were contested by the BJP and JD(U), fielding 101 candidates each. The INDIA bloc includes the RJD, Congress, CPI(ML) Liberation, other Left parties and VIP.

Prominent leaders in the fray include deputy chief ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav and Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Ram.

As Bihar prepares for counting day under tight security and heightened political friction, all eyes will now be on Friday’s results — and on whether Nitish Kumar retains his grip on power or the state witnesses a dramatic shift.

With agency inputs