Patna — The 2025 Bihar Assembly elections stand out in the state’s political history for two major reasons: a record voter turnout of 67.13 per cent — the highest since Independence — and zero repolls across all 243 constituencies.
This year’s election was notable for its peaceful atmosphere, free of violence and malpractice. This is in stark contrast to earlier decades when Bihar’s elections were often marked by widespread violence, booth capturing, murders, and large-scale rigging.
A look at Bihar’s electoral past shows how deeply the democratic process was once affected by criminal interference and political patronage.
During the late 1980s and 1990s, election-related violence was rampant. Goons and local strongmen, often enjoying political backing, disrupted voting and prevented the Election Commission from conducting free and fair polls.
The period popularly referred to as the “jungle raj” under the RJD government saw some of the worst instances of electoral misconduct.
- 1985 Assembly elections: Over 63 people were killed, forcing the Election Commission to order repolling at 156 booths.
- 1990 Assembly elections: Nearly 87 deaths were reported as the Janata Dal came to power.
- 1995 elections: Lalu Prasad Yadav’s Janata Dal strengthened its mandate, but the polls were marred by even more violence and rigging.
- During this period, Election Commissioner T.N. Seshan postponed the Bihar elections four times due to the unprecedented level of malpractice.
Even the 2005 elections, which opened the door to the Nitish Kumar–led JD(U) government, were not free of trouble — repolling was ordered in 660 booths because of violence and irregularities.
However, after 2005, Bihar began to see significant improvements in law and order. Elections gradually became more peaceful, with fewer cases of rigging and booth capturing.
In 2025, the state achieved what many believed impossible: completely violence-free elections with no repolling anywhere. Apart from a few minor incidents in Mokama, the entire process remained smooth and transparent.
The Election Commission stated that this was the first time in Bihar’s history that no repolls were recommended. There were no reports of discrepancies or malpractices at any polling station, eliminating the need for repolling.
With inputs from IANS