Amid brisk voting for the second and final phase of Assembly elections in Bihar, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday lodged an FIR against certain individuals over "circulation and distribution" of voter slips inside a polling booth in Motihari district.

Two people have been arrested for violating the model code of conduct, the poll panel said.

The matter came to light after the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) flagged "flagrant violation" of electoral guidelines, allegedly by the polling agent of the BJP candidate in booth numbers 229 and 230 of Motihari Assembly.

The second phase of polling for the Bihar Assembly elections will begin at 7 a.m. on Tuesday (November 11), with 1,302 candidates fighting for 122 constituencies.

Of these, 1,165 are male candidates, 136 are female, and one candidate is from the third gender category.

The main contest remains between the NDA and the Grand Alliance, although in some seats, AIMIM and Jan Suraj Party are also in the fight.

Senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan met party President Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow on Friday, marking his first visit to the state capital after he was released from jail.

Their 45-minute meeting, which took place at Akhilesh Yadav’s residence on Vikramaditya Marg, is being seen as politically significant. Azam Khan’s son was also present during the meeting.

The two leaders held discussions over tea and snacks in what both sides described as a cordial interaction.

Soon after, Akhilesh Yadav shared photographs of the meeting on social media, writing: "I don’t know how many memories he brought with him when he came to our home today. This meeting is a heritage of our shared relationship."

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Friday that all political parties have joined hands against the National Conference ahead of the by-election in Budgam Assembly constituency because ‘the NC stands firm on its electoral promises’.

Addressing a poll campaign for the NC candidate, Aga Mehmood in Budgam, Omar Abdullah said, “All political parties have joined hands against the NC now because we have committed one ‘sin’ and that is, to have stood firm on our electoral promises. In the 2014 elections, one political party asked you to vote for them, promising that they would keep the BJP out of power in Jammu and Kashmir. You voted for them, and then the same party brought the BJP to power and started destroying the state."

An FIR has been registered against Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan alias Lalan Singh on Tuesday for the alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct in Bihar's Mokama.

An official statement, issued by the district magistrate-cum returning officer, Patna, said, "The Patna district administration analysed video footage recorded by the surveillance team. After examination, an FIR has been lodged against Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh under relevant sections of the BNS and the Representation of the People Act."

The campaigning for the first phase of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections will conclude at 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

The voting for this phase will be held on November 6 in 121 Assembly constituencies across 18 districts.

On the last day of canvassing, all parties were holding rallies, roadshows and public meetings to woo voters.

Now, candidates have switched to door-to-door outreach to seek direct support.

At least three people were killed and three others sustained serious injuries in a road accident in Bihar’s Vaishali district on Monday morning.

The fatal accident occurred near Naiper village under the Industrial Police Station area of the district around 4 a.m.

According to the SHO of Industrial Police Station, a speeding luxury car, travelling from Purnea to Hajipur, rammed into the rear of a 16-wheeler truck that was parked on the road. The impact was so severe that the car was reduced to mangled metal.

All the deceased and injured were associated with an exit-poll team working during the Bihar Assembly elections.

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor (L-G), Manoj Sinha, said on Friday that by spreading unnecessary speculations about restoration of statehood in the Union Territory some people are trying to mislead the people of the country.

Addressing a gathering at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) here, the L-G added that there has been unnecessary speculation on the issue of statehood restoration to Jammu and Kashmir despite the clarity given by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

"The Union Home Minister has already stated: first delimitation, then Assembly elections, and statehood at an appropriate time."

Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor has come under scrutiny after reports alleged that his name appears on the electoral rolls of both Bihar and West Bengal.

The revelation has sparked a fresh political storm in Bihar ahead of the crucial Assembly elections.

According to a notice issued by the Returning Officer of the 209-Karhgar Assembly constituency in Sasaram, the matter came to light following a report published in the Indian Express on October 28.

The issue of alleged cross-voting during the recent Rajya Sabha elections and the detention of Doda MLA, Mehraj Malik, caused uproar in the J&K Assembly on Monday with the ruling National Conference (NC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs accusing each other.

The issue of cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha elections came up during the question hour in the J&K Assembly. Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary accused the BJP of ‘stealing’ four votes in the recent Rajya Sabha elections.

“Yesterday, you stole four votes. If I start speaking, no one will remain seated here. Let us allow a secret to remain a secret,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.

His remarks sparked a heated exchange between the two sides, with NC legislators retaliating by calling BJP members “vote chor” (vote stealers).

Acting on the directives of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), over 400 personnel of the Tripura State Rifles (TSR) will be deployed to assist in maintaining security during the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, officials said here on Saturday.

A senior official of the Tripura Home Department said that over 400 jawans of the TSR, led by Commandant Jyotishman Daschoudhuri, left for Bihar by a special train on Friday night and are expected to reach Patna on Sunday night or Monday morning.

Five Assistant Commandants have also accompanied the TSR personnel.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday directed that all polling stations in Bihar’s upcoming assembly elections and the eight-assembly constituency bye-elections be equipped with Assured Minimum Facilities (AMFs) and voter assistance measures to ensure a seamless and dignified voting experience for all electors.

Announcing this in a press note, the ECI said the directive aims to provide a voter-friendly environment and uphold accessibility standards across all polling stations.

“AMF include drinking water, a waiting shed, a toilet with water facility, adequate lighting, a ramp of proper gradient for PwD electors, a standard voting compartment, and proper signage,” the ECI said.

 After the withdrawal deadline for the second phase of nominations ended, a total of 70 candidates have taken back their nominations for the upcoming Bihar Assembly Election 2025, according to data released by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday.

The deadline ended at 5 p.m. on Thursday. For the second phase, nominations were filed for 122 Assembly seats across 18 districts.

A total of 1,761 candidates had submitted their nomination papers, out of which 389 nominations were rejected during scrutiny.

Ahead of Bihar election, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday issued a notification regarding the pre-certification of print advertisements for the pre-poll period and the polling day.

Deputy Director of the ECI, P. Pawan, said in a statement, "The ECI has announced the schedule for the General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Bihar, 2025, and the by-elections for eight Assembly constituencies. The dates of polling have been fixed for November 6 and November 11."

"In order to ensure a fair campaign environment, no political party, candidate, organisation, or person shall publish any advertisement in print media on the poll day and the preceding day unless the contents are pre-certified by the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) at the State or District level," the ECI added.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) Vice-President, Omar Abdullah, said on Saturday that his party will nominate its candidate for the by-election in Budgam Assembly seat on Monday.

Two assembly seats of Nagrota in the Jammu division and Budgam in the Valley fell vacant after the incumbent BJP MLA from Nagrota, Devender Singh Rana passed away on October 31 last year and the NC MLA, Omar Abdullah, resigned from the Budgam seat after winning it during the 2024 Assembly elections.

Omar Abdullah had won the 2024 Assembly elections from two constituencies, Ganderbal and Budgam.

The Chief Minister has decided to represent the Ganderbal seat in the 90-member Assembly and relinquish the Budgam seat.

The ECI on Saturday announced a paid holiday for employed electors on the two polling days for the Bihar Assembly elections and warned employers of a penalty if they deduct wages of their staff for absence on November 6 and 11.

“The Commission has directed the State governments to issue necessary instructions to all concerned for strict compliance with these provisions and to ensure that all electors are able to exercise their franchise freely and conveniently,” said the Election Commission of India (ECI) in a circular.

As per the ECI’s schedule, by-elections to eight Assembly Constituencies in seven states will also be held on November 11.

A day ahead of the final date for filing nominations for the first phase of Bihar Assembly elections, there appears to be a pall of uncertainty over seat-sharing agreements, leading to the chances of “friendly fights” in a few constituencies.

Among Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) partners, with principal components like the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RJD), Congress, and the Left clawing for a lion’s share, smaller partners are worried about their own prospects. The Bihar Legislative Assembly comprises 243 seats.

Meanwhile, the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is also witnessing some crosswinds with allies like Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) vying for particular seats.

As the campaigning gathers pace in the run-up to the Bihar Assembly elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday allotted digital vouchers to both national and state parties for free telecast time on the two leading national broadcasters – Doordarshan (DD) and All India Radio (AIR).

The digital vouchers facilitate political parties (national parties and recognised state parties) to use limited ‘free time’ on the state-owned television and radio channels for campaigning and expanding reach to the masses on their respective poll promises.

The digital time vouchers have been issued to all national and state political parties in Bihar for the Legislative Assembly elections, under Section 39A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

The Election Commission of India has directed the immediate replacement of Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) for 79 Assembly constituencies in West Bengal as their selections have violated the ECI-mandated criteria.

A communication on this count has already been sent to the West Bengal government to nominate names of those state government officers who match the criteria for being selected as EROs.

As per the ECI-mandated criteria, West Bengal Civil Service (Executive) cadre officials in the ranks of sub-divisional magistrates, sub-divisional officers and rural development officers can only be considered for selection as EROs.

In a move to ensure inclusive and barrier-free participation in the upcoming high-stakes Bihar Assembly elections and bye-elections in eight Assembly Constituencies, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday issued comprehensive guidelines aimed at making the voting process accessible for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).

According to the ECI, the polling in Bihar will feature a total of 90,712 polling stations, each equipped with facilities tailored to support PwD electors and senior citizens.

“Additionally, in another initiative, 292 Polling Stations will be exclusively managed by Persons with Disabilities,” the poll panel said in its press note.

Renowned folk and devotional singer Maithili Thakur, celebrated for her contributions to Maithili culture, has been fielded by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as its candidate from the Alinagar Assembly constituency in Darbhanga district for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.

The 25-year-old singer from Benipatti in Madhubani district, who joined the BJP on Tuesday in the presence of state party president Dilip Jaiswal, replaces incumbent BJP MLA Mishrilal Yadav, whose ticket was dropped amid reports of his dissatisfaction with the party’s internal dynamics.

Thakur’s nomination marks a strategic move by the BJP to leverage her popularity among youth and cultural enthusiasts to bolster its appeal in the Mithilanchal region, where Alinagar has emerged as a key battleground seat.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) issued a directive to enforcement agencies on Wednesday to prevent the influence of money in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.

It also mentioned that Expenditure Observers have been deployed to monitor the election process.

The ECI also mentioned that since the announcement of elections on October 6, a total seizure of Rs 33.97 crore worth of cash, liquor, drugs and freebies has been done by different Enforcement Agencies.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday announced the completion of the first randomisation process of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) units for the second phase of the upcoming General Elections in Bihar.

The procedure was carried out on October 13, 2025, after the First Level Checking (FLC) of all machines across the 20 districts scheduled to vote in this phase.

According to the ECI, “the First Randomisation was done through EVM Management System (EMS) by the DEOs in the presence of the representatives of National and State Recognised Political Parties.”

After National Conference (NC) MP and senior party leader, Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi stirred the hornet’s nest by deciding to stay away from the election campaign in his native Budgam Assembly constituency, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday avoided answering the related questions.

“I don’t know anything about it”, the CM said while parrying a question about Ruhullah’s statement.

Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi is an influential Shia Muslim leader of Budgam and wields considerable influence among the people because of his family’s religious background in Budgam.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed that all political parties and contesting candidates must seek pre-certification from the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) before releasing any political advertisements on electronic media, including social media platforms.

The directive, issued on October 9, aims to ensure transparency and accountability in political campaigning, the poll body said in an official statement on Tuesday.

The order comes shortly after the announcement of the schedule for the General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Bihar and the bye-elections to eight Assembly constituencies across six states and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday issued notifications for the bye-elections to five Assembly constituencies across the country. The polling is scheduled for November 11, and the counting of votes is to be held on November 14.

According to the notification, the bye-election for the 71-Nuapada Assembly Constituency in Odisha will see nomination filing from October 20, scrutiny on October 22, and withdrawal of nominations by October 24. The polling will be held on November 11.

The seat fell vacant following the death of BJD MLA Rajendra Dholakia on September 8, who passed away while undergoing treatment in Chennai

Just ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, Mishrilal Yadav, the BJP's MLA from Alinagar constituency in Darbhanga district, has resigned from the party.

Yadav, a prominent leader from the Other Backward Classes (OBC), said he was leaving the BJP due to continuous "humiliation" and the party's "arrogant" attitude towards backward community leaders.

"We felt humiliated while in the BJP. We were tortured within the party, and our self-respect was not protected," Yadav said.

"I won the 2020 election from a seat where no NDA MLA had won in the past 30 years, yet the party still refused to respect me," he said.

The ruling National Conference (NC) on Friday announced its candidates for three seats for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, and for the 4th seat, the party informed that talks are underway with Congress.

Senior NC leaders, Choudhary Muhammad Ramzan, Shammi Oberoi, and Sajad Kichloo, have been nominated to contest the Rajya Sabha polls.

NC General Secretary, Ali Muhammad Sagar, told a media conference that the party has finalised three candidates and is currently in discussions with the Congress regarding the fourth seat.

“We have kept one seat open, and talks are ongoing with the Congress,” Sagar said.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has commenced a comprehensive online training and assessment programme for Returning Officers (ROs) and Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) appointed for the upcoming Bihar Legislative Assembly elections and bye-elections, it said on Friday.

The sessions, held on October 9 and 10, 2025, included a structured doubt-clearing module focused on the nomination process, ensuring that all officers are well-versed with procedural guidelines ahead of the crucial electoral exercise.

According to the ECI, 243 Returning Officers and 1,418 Assistant Returning Officers participated in the virtual training.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday announced that elderly voters above 85 years of age, persons with benchmark disabilities (PwDs), and service voters will be able to cast their votes through postal ballots in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.

According to a press note issued by the ECI, this facility will be provided under Section 60(c) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

“Such electors can avail this facility using Form 12 D and submit to the Returning Officer through their BLO within 5 days of the issuance of the notification of election. Polling teams will collect their votes at their homes,” the ECI said in its press note.

As the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) finalises its seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, alliance leaders have reiterated that all constituent parties remain united and will contest the polls with full strength.

This comes amid demands from key allies -- Union Ministers Chirag Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi -- for a fair share of seats for their respective parties, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and the Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM).

Chirag Paswan is reportedly seeking around 40 seats, while Manjhi is pressing for at least 15.

The official seat-sharing formula has not yet been announced.

Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot expressed confidence that the Congress will win the upcoming Anta Assembly by-elections, asserting that the party ticket will be decided shortly, with party in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa arriving soon to finalise the candidate.

Gehlot also noted that Pramod Jain was the previous candidate, but a fresh decision on the nominee is pending.

Speaking to the media while stopping at the Tonk bypass en route to Kota for the funeral of former minister Bharat Singh, Gehlot said, “We will win the Anta election. The ticket will be decided soon. Party in-charge, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, is arriving shortly, and the decision will be made in a day or two.”

He also noted that Pramod Jain had been the previous candidate, but a fresh decision is pending.

The Election Commission (ECI) while announcing the schedule for the Bihar Assembly elections on Monday, declared the statutory timetable of the by-polls to the Dampa Assembly constituency in Mizoram.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, accompanied by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, announced that the by-election to the Dampa Assembly seat will be held on November 11 (Tuesday) and counting of votes will take place on November 14 (Friday).

As per the schedule, announced by the CEC, the statutory notification will be issued on October 13 and the last date of filing of nomination papers is October 21.

The nomination papers will be scrutinised on October 22 and the last date of withdrawal is October 24.