ECI rolls out massive security and logistics plan for Bihar Assembly polls

New Delhi, Oct 6 (IANS) The Election Commission of India (ECI) said on Monday that the Bihar Assembly elections will be conducted in two phases, on November 6 and November 11, with results scheduled for declaration on November 14.

Addressing the media, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, described the upcoming elections as the "mother of all elections", emphasising the commission's commitment to ensuring a peaceful and flawless electoral process.

"We want to assure Bihar voters that not only will the elections be exemplary and smooth, but also the most peaceful due to a special focus on maintaining law and order," Kumar said.

Bihar's Legislative Assembly comprises 243 constituencies, including 203 General, 38 Scheduled Caste (SC), and 2 Scheduled Tribe (ST) seats.

The voter base of the state is vast.

Bihar has a total of nearly 7.43 crore registered voters as of September 30, 2025.

Of these, nearly 3.92 crore are male electors.

A significant youth presence is also there, with more than 1.63 crore voters aged 20-29 and 14.01 lakh first-time voters between the age of 18 and 19.

There will be participation from special groups, including 4.04 lakh senior citizens aged 85 years and above, around 14,000 centenarians, and 7.2 lakh persons with disabilities (PwDs).

Moreover, nearly 1.63 lakh service electors are registered, who are typically government employees or personnel stationed away from their home constituencies.

To accommodate the 'massive voter turnout', the ECI has set up 90,712 polling stations across Bihar -- 13,911 in urban areas and 76,801 in rural regions.

All polling stations are equipped with 100 per cent webcasting facilities to ensure transparency and monitoring.

Special polling stations have been designated as Model Polling Stations (1,350), and several are managed by women (1,044), youth (38), and PwDs (292), reflecting the commission's emphasis on inclusive participation.

In view of Bihar's diverse geography, innovative security and logistical measures have been arranged.

In the Diara region, patrolling parties will use horses to cover nearly 250 polling stations.

Similarly, boat patrols will secure around 197 stations located in riverine or waterlogged areas.

With Bihar's elections often attracting intense political rivalry and large voter participation, the ECI has underlined its special focus on law and order to prevent any untoward incidents.

Chief Election Commissioner Kumar reassured citizens that all necessary steps have been taken to maintain peace and create an environment conducive to free and fair elections.

--IANS

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