Bihar Election 2025 Date Live Updates: Bihar polls in single phase after Chhath? Here’s what happened in CEC-political parties’ meeting today

Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party President Pashupati Kumar Paras said on Saturday that if the majority goes in favor of the INDI Alliance in the upcoming Bihar elections, then “certainly a government will be formed in Bihar under the leadership of Tejashwi Yadav”.

CPI(ML) leader Dipankar Bhattacharya talks about issues affecting Bihar Assembly Polls.

He said there are many issues in Bihar. “When the government itself conducted a survey, it was found that extreme poverty exists in the state, 94 lakh families are somehow surviving on an income of less than Rs 6,000 monthly, which essentially means they are living on debt. Instead of taking responsibility for education, the government is stepping back, leading to the privatisation of education and healthcare in Bihar on a large scale. Land acquisition is happening rampantly, farmers are being deprived of their land in the name of roads and other projects. But I believe that the essence of all these issues is that Bihar cannot move forward under the current government,” he said.

Former Bihar Minister Tej Pratap Yadav says, “No one is talking about important issues or unemployment. During elections, ‘gifts’ are distributed, like Rs 10,000 in women’s accounts as inducements. These are all election tactics. No one is listening to the youth.”

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan takes part in Makhana Mahotsav in Bihar.

He said that the Makhana Board will leave no stone unturned to increase production, reduce the cost of makhana, and research new seeds that yield higher yields.

“Mechanisation is needed to ensure easy extraction of makhana… This will ensure easy and safe extraction of makhana… The Makhana Board will provide various types of assistance to farmers…” he said while talking to the reporters.

Bihar Minister Sanjay Nishad said that across the country, all those who are weak, marginalized, and deprived of constitutional rights, “the people who were dispossessed by the British and the Mughals, belong to 578 castes that were classified as ‘criminal castes’ and denied their rights, including land rights. Among these, 90% were landowners, and 80% of them were Nishads. Today, they have social and political issues across the country. Economically too, they were disadvantaged…” he said.

A meeting was chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, held with Bihar’s Chief Electoral Officer Vinod Singh Gunjiyal and representatives of all recognized political parties in Bihar today.

RJD MP Abhay Kushwaha, after meeting the Election Commission, says, “We asked the EC whether they informed voters about their names being removed prior to deletion; we have also suggested that elections be held in two phases.”

On meeting with Chief Election Commissioner, JD(U) Bihar president Umesh Singh Kushwaha says, “Our party has suggested that the elections should be held in a single phase. To allow voters arriving from outside during Chhath Parv to cast their votes, the elections should be scheduled immediately after Chhath Parv…”

Bihar Minister Prem Kumar said that the Election Commission is a constitutional body, and elections are going to be held soon.

“We are going there to assess the preparations for the elections…The Election Commission has carried out this work very transparently, and we thank them for it. Going forward, elections in Bihar will also be conducted transparently, and everyone will get their rightful representation,” he added.

The Chief Election Commissioner held a meeting with officials and leaders of political parties ahead of the Bihar Assembly Elections 2025.

JDU MP Sanjay Kumar Jha said, “We put forward our point before the Election Commission. SIR has happened in Bihar, and Bihar will show the country the way SIR is done… We have urged that elections should be held in 1 phase in Bihar… Law and order in Bihar is in good condition… If elections can be held in one phase in Maharashtra, then why not in Bihar…”

BJP also said the polls should be conducted in one or two phases, and suggested that officials must identify women turning up at booths in burqa.

Addressing a press conference, Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar says, “A government which comes to power through ‘vote chori’ is a government which will grab land. After getting all airports and ports of our country, now Adani eyeing Bihar.”

PM Narendra Modi slammed the opposition and said the education system has changed in the past few years.

“Thousands of young people from Bihar have joined us through this program. This generation may not realise how devastated the education system in Bihar was two and a half decades ago. Schools were not open honestly, nor were recruitments conducted. Which parent doesn’t want their child to study and progress here?” the PM said.

“But out of compulsion, millions of children were forced to leave Bihar and go to Varanasi, Delhi, and Mumbai. This was the real beginning of the migration… Fortunately, the people of Bihar entrusted Nitish Kumar with the responsibility of government, and we are all witnesses to how the entire NDA team together brought the deteriorating system back on track…I am happy that Bihar has received a new Skill University at today’s Skill Convocation.,” he added.

On Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Skill University in Bihar, PM Narendra Modi says, “…Karpoori Thakur wasn’t made ‘Jan Nayak’ by social media trolls. He was made ‘Jan Nayak’ by the people of Bihar, and they did so after observing his life. I would urge the people of Bihar to be vigilant. Nowadays, people are trying to steal even this title of ‘Jan Nayak’. Therefore, I urge the people of Bihar to be vigilant so that this honour bestowed upon Karpoori Thakur by the people is not stolen… the double engine government of NDA is continuously engaged in modernising the educational institutions of Bihar.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches initiatives worth over Rs 62,000 crore for youth, keeping Bihar in focus.

While unveiling the schemes, he said, “…it is guarantee of their bright future.”

Addressing the Kaushal Deekshant Samaroh virtually, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said, “On this occasion, the Prime Minister is inaugurating, launching, and laying the foundation for 11 programs and schemes across the country and in Bihar for the skill development and capacity building of youth… All these initiatives will greatly benefit the youth of Bihar. I sincerely salute the Prime Minister for all these efforts.”

BJP State President Dilip Jaiswal said that his party first appreciated the Election Commission for publishing the voter list in a transparent and improved manner. “We also made some suggestions regarding the Bihar elections. We proposed that one or two days before the elections, paramilitary forces should be deployed and marched in backward and Dalit-dominated villages to instill confidence among voters that no pressure will be applied…”

Bihar BJP President Dilip Jaiswal said the Election Commission has requested political parties to ensure that their polling agents surely collect Form 17C when voting ends in the evening.

“… Some political parties’ polling agents leave early, and then the blame game begins… We were also asked about when the elections should be held. We said that the elections should be held immediately when the 28-day announcement period ends, without any delay…” he added.

On Opposition criticising PM Modi and Nitish Kumar government’s announcements before Bihar elections, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs and BJP leader Nityanand Rai said that PM Modi-led government has given more than Rs 14 lakh crore for Bihar’s development.

“…leaders indulged in scams and providing benefits to their family members not concerned about people’s welfare,” he said.

On the meeting with the election commission, SP State Coordinator Advocate Surendra Ram said that several suggestions were provided by the parties.

“In the meeting with the Election Commission, many suggestions and reforms were discussed that parties had requested. The Bahujan Samaj Party also presented its suggestions. It was proposed that elections be conducted via ballot papers, CCTV cameras be installed at 100% of polling booths, and polling agents be properly appointed…Leaders should refrain from making announcements during elections, as it can influence voters…” he said.

ECI says the discussion with all 12 recognised political parties of Bihar has begun under the chairmanship of CEC Ghyanesh Kumar. In a post on X, the poll panel said, “Under the chairmanship of the Chief Election Commissioner Shri Gyanesh Kumar, the discussion with all 12 recognized political parties of Bihar began with Election Commissioner Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Election Commissioner Dr. Vivek Joshi, Bihar’s Chief Electoral Officer Shri Vinod Gunjyal, and senior officials of the Commission.”

The national parties in the meeting are: AAP, BSP, BJP, Congress, CPI(M), NPP

State parties in the meet are: CPI (ML), JD(U), LJP(Ramvilas), RJD, RLJP, RLSP

Leaders arrive to attend the key meeting with Election Commission officials ahead of announcement of Bihar election dates in Patna shortly. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar will chair the meeting.