National Times Bureau :- The Election Commission of India is expected to announce the schedule for the 18th Bihar Legislative Assembly elections today at 3 PM. All 243 assembly seats, including two reserved for STs and 38 for SCs, will go to polls before the term of the current Assembly ends on November 22, 2025.
The poll body will address from the Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital, it said in an official release.
The announcement comes after a detailed two-day review of Bihar’s election preparedness by Election Commission of India (ECI) officials. Ahead of the upcoming polls, the ECI has rolled out 17 new measures to strengthen the electoral process. These include webcasting at every polling station, the addition of colored photographs on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), and permission for voters to carry mobile phones up to the outer area of polling stations. The new initiatives are expected to set benchmarks for future elections across India.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar also revealed that Bihar’s voter list has been “purified” for the first time in 22 years through a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive, which corrected long-standing errors and removed duplicate entries. The updated electoral roll is now legally valid and designed to enhance accuracy and transparency.
However, opposition parties have expressed concern over the SIR process, claiming that many eligible voters were left out, potentially affecting turnout in key constituencies. They have urged the ECI to thoroughly verify the revised lists and rectify any omissions to ensure a fair election.
Political parties have also requested that polling be scheduled after the Chhath Puja festival to encourage maximum voter participation — a proposal the Election Commission is expected to review before announcing the final dates.
