Bihar MLC polls begin peacefully across eight seats with 150 candidates in fray
Robust administrative arrangements and heavy voter turnout mark elections across four Graduates and four Teachers constituencies.
Voting began smoothly on Friday morning for biennial elections to eight Bihar Legislative Council seats, with 150 candidates competing across four Graduates and four Teachers constituencies.
Election officials confirmed that polling across all 933 polling stations was progressing peacefully under tight security arrangements. More than 5.32 lakh voters are registered to cast their ballots, including 1,46,611 women and 37 third-gender electors.
Turnout across constituencies
Early voting figures released by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer showed steady voter participation across the state. The Saran Teachers constituency registered the highest early turnout among the Teachers seats, while Darbhanga led the Graduates constituencies.
| Constituency | Type | Early Turnout (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Saran | Teachers | 13.56% |
| Patna | Teachers | 12.88% |
| Darbhanga | Teachers | 12.00% |
| Tirhut | Teachers | 5.88% |
| Darbhanga | Graduates | 8.00% |
| Patna | Graduates | 5.50% |
| Kosi | Graduates | 5.14% |
| Tirhut | Graduates | 4.81% |
Voting is scheduled to close at 4 p.m., with the counting of votes set for October 27.
Ruling alliance and key contests
The governing National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has fielded candidates in all eight constituencies as part of its seat-sharing arrangement. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is contesting four seats, while the Janata Dal (United) is contesting the remaining four.
Among the key NDA candidates, BJP leader Nawal Kishor Yadav is seeking re-election from the Patna Teachers constituency, a seat he has represented for 30 years. The party has also re-nominated sitting MLCs N.K. Yadav from Kosi Graduates and Sarvesh Kumar from Tirhut Graduates, alongside Narendra Kumar Singh in Tirhut Teachers.
The JD(U) has fielded candidates in the remaining seats, including former minister Neeraj Kumar, who is seeking a fourth consecutive term from the Patna Graduates constituency. JD(U) leaders expressed confidence in a decisive victory for the coalition, citing governance achievements and developmental stability across the state.
Opposition presence includes the Jan Suraaj Party, led by Prashant Kishor, which has put up candidates in all eight constituencies, while the Communist Party of India (CPI) is contesting the Tirhut Teachers seat.
The terms of all eight sitting members of the Legislative Council expire on November 16.
Key numbers
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Total eligible voters | 5,32,847 | Chief Electoral Officer |
| Candidates in fray | 150 | Chief Electoral Officer |
| Total polling stations | 933 | Chief Electoral Officer |
| Highest early turnout (Teachers) | 13.56% (Saran) | Chief Electoral Officer |
| Highest early turnout (Graduates) | 8.00% (Darbhanga) | Chief Electoral Officer |
In this story
| Name | Role in the story |
|---|---|
| Bihar Legislative Council | Upper house of state legislature holding biennial elections for eight seats. |
| Janata Dal (United) | Ruling coalition party contesting four seats. |
| Bharatiya Janata Party | Ruling coalition partner contesting four seats. |
