The Election Commission of India (ECI) has unveiled 17 new initiatives for the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, aiming to modernise the voting process and set benchmarks for nationwide implementation. The polls for 243 assembly seats are scheduled in two phases on November 6 and 11, with counting of votes on November 14.
Bihar polls will feature 17 new reforms including mobile deposit facilities, webcasting, and digital updates, setting a benchmark for elections nationwide.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said the reforms follow a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls, undertaken to ensure no eligible elector is left out and ineligible individuals are excluded. “These measures are designed to enhance transparency, accessibility, and efficiency in the electoral process, reflecting a commitment to free and fair elections,” he said.
Among the reforms, voters will now have access to mobile deposit facilities at polling stations, allowing them to leave mobile phones outside, ensuring security and minimising disruptions. Voter Information Slips have been redesigned with clear serial and part numbers for easier verification, while Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have been issued standard identity cards to strengthen public trust.
Also read: Bihar election dates out: Voting on November 6 and 11, results on November 14
The ECI has also mandated 100 per cent webcasting at all polling stations and revised EVM ballot guidelines to make them more readable, including colour photographs of candidates for the first time. Additionally, enhanced remuneration has been approved for BLOs, BLO supervisors, polling and counting staff, CAPF personnel, monitoring teams, and micro-observers, alongside provisions for refreshments and honouraria for Returning Officers (ROs) and Assistant ROs (AROs).
Other key initiatives include digital platforms for near real-time voter turnout updates, a polling station limit of 1,200 voters to reduce crowding, and streamlined procedures for postal ballot counting. A new SOP has also been introduced for the free delivery of EPIC cards within 15 days of updates, with SMS alerts at every stage.
Over 7.4 crore voters, including 14 lakh first-time voters, will exercise their franchise across 90,712 polling stations. The Commission emphasised that the Bihar model would serve as a blueprint for future elections nationwide, demonstrating how technology, decentralisation, and strengthened accountability can enhance the integrity of the electoral process.
“These reforms will show the rest of the country the path towards the purification of voter rolls and the modernisation of polling,” Kumar said.
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