Bihar sets new voting record with 67.14 per cent turnout in final phase

Bihar on Tuesday registered its highest-ever voter turnout — 67.14 per cent provisionally — in the second and final phase of the high-stakes assembly elections, widely viewed as a referendum on chief minister Nitish Kumar, the state’s longest-serving leader.

The polling percentage across 122 constituencies and 3.70 crore voters surpassed the “record” 65.09 per cent turnout seen in the first phase on 6 November, and officials said the final figure may rise with queues still present at several booths.

The Muslim-majority district of Kishanganj reported the highest turnout so far at 76.26 per cent, followed by Katihar (75.23 per cent), Purnea (73.79 per cent), Supaul (70.69 per cent) and Araria (67.79 per cent) — districts that fall largely in the Kosi–Seemanchal belt along the Nepal border.

South Bihar also saw strong participation, with Jamui (67.81 per cent), Gaya (67.50 per cent) and Kaimur (67.22 per cent) posting robust numbers. Nawada, at 57.31 per cent, recorded the lowest turnout.

While Nitish Kumar is not contesting — being a member of the legislative council — the BJP-led NDA is relying heavily on his “good governance” record to counter anti-incumbency. Eight ministers of his cabinet are in the fray. The Opposition INDIA bloc, meanwhile, is banking on incumbency fatigue and the sizeable Muslim population across many of Tuesday’s polling districts.

The phase is also crucial for the Congress, the second-largest constituent of the INDIA bloc in Bihar. Of the 19 seats it won in 2020, 12 are voting today, including those of state president Rajesh Kumar Ram (Kutumba) and Shakeel Ahmed Khan (Kadwa).

Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor — seen by many as the election’s X-factor — claimed the jump in turnout reflects voters’ search for an “alternative”.

Nitish Kumar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged voters to set a new record, with the PM appealing to first-time voters to bring others along.

Polling began at 7.00 am and officially ended at 5.00 pm, sealing the fate of 1,302 candidates across districts including West and East Champaran, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Supaul, Araria and Kishanganj — many in the Seemanchal region where minority votes are crucial. The INDIA bloc seeks to consolidate this support, while the NDA has accused the Opposition of shielding “infiltrators”.

Deputy chief minister Vijay Kumar Sinha said voters were “blessing the double-engine government’s ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas’ mantra” through their turnout.