EC Declares Bihar Election the Best Performance Under Gyanesh Kumar

The Election Commission of India (ECI) declared the 2025 Bihar Assembly Election as Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's "best-ever performance" to date, citing an unprecedented record of zero repolls across all 243 constituencies and no appeals during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls. Conducted in two phases on November 6 and 11, the election concluded with a historic voter turnout of 67.13%—the highest since Bihar's first assembly polls in 1951—delivering a decisive mandate to the Nitish Kumar-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which crossed the majority mark of 122 seats early in the counting process on November 14.

The ECI highlighted the absence of repolling requests from 2,616 candidates and 12 recognized political parties, a feat achieved through meticulous planning, real-time grievance redressal, and enhanced deployment of central forces, including over 1.5 lakh personnel and 1,100 companies of paramilitary troops.

The poll body's success in maintaining electoral integrity is underscored by the seamless execution of the SIR, finalized on October 1 with 7.45 crore electors after publishing a draft roll on August 1 that initially removed 65.6 lakh duplicate or ineligible entries. Following document verification and objection processes, an additional 3.66 lakh names were deleted while 21.5 lakh were added, resulting in zero appeals from any of the 38 districts or the 12 political parties involved—a first in the state's electoral history. CEC Kumar, who assumed office in February 2025, oversaw the integration of advanced technologies such as AI-driven facial recognition at polling stations, blockchain-based e-ballot tracking for postal votes, and a revamped cVIGIL app that resolved 98% of 1.2 lakh reported violations within 100 minutes. These innovations, combined with 100% webcasting of polling booths and drone surveillance in sensitive areas, minimized malpractices and ensured transparency.

Phase-wise turnout reflected robust civic participation, with 65.08% in the first phase covering 121 seats and 3.75 crore voters, rising slightly to 66.91% in the second phase across 122 seats and 3.70 crore electors. The ECI's International Election Visitors’ Programme (IEVP) 2025, flagged off by CEC Kumar and Election Commissioner Dr. Vivek Joshi Kumar in New Delhi, drew delegations from 23 countries to observe Bihar's model of inclusive democracy, particularly its accommodations for 1.1 crore senior citizens and persons with disabilities through home voting and accessible booths. The commission's zero-tolerance approach to electoral malfeasance included preemptive action against 4,200 history-sheeters and the seizure of ₹350 crore in illicit cash and inducements, contributing to what officials termed a "festival of democracy" free from violence or procedural disputes.

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As counting progressed with the NDA leading in over 170 seats by midday, the ECI's flawless conduct has set a national benchmark, prompting calls for replicating Bihar's SIR framework in upcoming state elections. CEC Kumar's leadership, building on the commission's post-2020 reforms, has not only fortified institutional credibility amid past criticisms of bias but also reinforced public trust in the electoral process. With the final electoral roll pruned of nearly 47 lakh bogus entries from the initial list, the 2025 exercise exemplifies how data-driven governance and technological intervention can yield the cleanest, most efficient polls in India's democratic annals, earning Kumar accolades as the architect of this landmark achievement.

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