For the first time in over 25 years, residents of Chormara village in Bihar’s Jamui district will cast their votes peacefully as the second phase of the state assembly elections unfolds on November 11, 2025. Once a Maoist fortress where polling was impossible amid relentless violence, the remote hamlet in the Chakai constituency now stands as a testament to restored democracy. After decades of enforced boycotts and terror, locals—many of them first-time voters—are eagerly awaiting their turn at the booth.

Under Maoist dominance, Chormara remained isolated from the rest of India, with murders, extortion, and kidnappings part of everyday life. Women and children rarely left their homes, and polling stations were either torched or abandoned under threat of reprisal. The rebels’ parallel administration ensured electoral rolls gathered dust while fear silenced any attempt at civic participation, turning the village into a no-go zone for decades.

Sustained counter-insurgency operations by central and state forces, coupled with surrender-and-rehabilitation policies and development initiatives, have systematically dismantled Maoist networks in Jamui—one of Bihar’s most affected districts. Improved road connectivity, schools, and electricity under the Aspirational Districts programme have rebuilt trust, encouraging residents to embrace the democratic process. Security has been beefed up with paramilitary deployments and real-time monitoring to guarantee a fear-free election.

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As Chormara joins 122 constituencies in the final phase—following the first round on November 6—the act of voting carries profound symbolism beyond choosing representatives. For a generation that grew up knowing only gunfire and curfews, the ballot box represents reclaimed freedom. Results will be declared on November 14, marking not just political outcomes but a historic milestone in Bihar’s long battle against left-wing extremism.

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