December 29, 2025 10:40 pm (IST)
Follow us:
Bihar polls: Third phase voting witnesses over 53 pct turnout
Patna, Oct 28 (IBNS): The third phase of polling in Bihar on Wednesday witnessed about 53.32 percent turnout as voters cast their ballot in 50 Assembly constituencies spread over six districts.
Polling ended at 5 pm in all but 10 Maoist-hit constituencies. In these Maoist-hit areas, the elections ended an hour earlier due to security reasons.
The crucial third phase tested Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav on home ground.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the people of the state to cast their votes in large numbers.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also urged the voters to turn up in large numbers.
23 of the 50 seats where polling was held were won by Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) last time. The BJP, then a partner of the JD(U), had won 19. Lalu Yadav's RJD had won eight.
The BJP, now taking on the JD(U), has contested in 34 seats.
Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD leads the anti-BJP grand alliance in this phase is contesting 25 of the 50 seats. Lalu Prasad's two sons, Tej Pratap and Tejaswi Yadav also contested elections for the first time respectively from Mahua and Raghopur.
Polling was held for seven seats in Nalanda, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's home turf. His party had won six of those seats last time - then partner BJP had won the seventh. In last year's national election, Nalanda was one of the two seats that the JD(U) could win in Bihar.
The Bihar elections are crucial for the BJP which needs numbers in the Rajya Sabha, where it is in a minority and unable to push key reforms.
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.
Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Latest Headlines
India rejects Pakistan’s Christmas vandalism remarks, cites its ‘abysmal’ minority record
Mon, Dec 29 2025
UP horror: Retired railway officer tortured to death, disabled daughter starved for 5 years by caretakers
Mon, Dec 29 2025
Big defence push! Rajnath Singh-led council clears Rs. 79,000 crore for Armed Forces
Mon, Dec 29 2025
Cigarettes may cost four times more as parliament clears major excise duty overhaul
Mon, Dec 29 2025
Supreme Court puts Aravalli redefinition on hold amid uproar, awaits new expert committee
Mon, Dec 29 2025
Supreme Court strikes! Kuldeep Sengar’s bail in Unnao case suspended amid public outcry
Mon, Dec 29 2025
From bitter split to big reunion! Pawars join hands again for high-stakes civic battle
Mon, Dec 29 2025