October 7, 2025 (India News Reporter): Bihar’s political landscape is dominated by the freshly announced 2025 Assembly election schedule, with ripple effects across parties, voter concerns, and legal challenges. The Election Commission of India’s (ECI) announcement on October 6 has triggered intense campaigning, seat-sharing negotiations, and debates over electoral integrity. Below is a detailed breakdown of the day’s key developments, drawing from official announcements, party reactions, and ongoing judicial scrutiny.
Supreme Court Hears Final Arguments on Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Electoral Rolls
Background and Today’s Hearing: The Supreme Court convened for final arguments on the validity of Bihar’s SIR exercise, a first-of-its-kind door-to-door verification process initiated by the ECI in June 2025 to update voter lists ahead of the polls. This hearing marks the first time the court is addressing the issue post the release of the final electoral rolls on September 30, 2025. A bench led by Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi is examining pleas challenging the process for alleged disenfranchisement, particularly of women and migrants.
Voter Deletions: The SIR led to the removal of 68.5 lakh names and addition of 21.53 lakh new ones, shrinking the total electorate from 7.89 crore (as of June 2025) to 7.42 crore. Critics, including opposition leaders like Yogendra Yadav, highlighted the ‘sharp decline’ in women voters (down 6.1% or 22.7 lakh) compared to men (down 3.8% or 15.5 lakh). This has sparked fears of targeted exclusions, especially among migrant workers estimated at 75 lakh Biharis working outside the state and marginalized communities.
Document Verification Issues: Petitioners argued that requiring one of 11 identity proofs (now including Aadhaar as the 12th, per a September 15 SC order) disproportionately affects rural and poor voters. The court has cautioned that any proven illegality could invalidate the rolls, potentially delaying the polls.
Political Implications: NDA leaders defend SIR as a ‘clean-up’ to curb bogus voting, while the Mahagathbandhan (INDIA bloc) calls it a ‘conspiracy’ to suppress opposition-leaning voters. The hearing could reshape the November polls if revisions are ordered.
Outcome Expectations: No interim order is anticipated today, but a ruling could come soon. Parties are on edge, with the ECI assuring ‘transparent’ elections despite the shadow of litigation.
Post-Poll Date Announcement: Parties Gear Up Amid Seat-Sharing Tussles
Election Schedule Recap: Announced on October 6, voting will occur in two phases November 6 (121 constituencies) and November 11 (122 constituencies) with results on November 14. This shorter format (vs. three phases in 2020) aligns with parties’ demands for efficiency post-Chhath Puja (October 25-28). Over 90,000 polling stations, including 1,044 women-managed ones, will feature web-casting for vigilance. The 243-seat Assembly sees 7.43 crore eligible voters, including 14 lakh first-timers and 4 lakh seniors.
NDA’s United Front and Welfare Push: The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by BJP (78 MLAs) and JD(U) (45 MLAs), totaling 132 seats projects confidence. JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha emphasized Bihar’s ‘take-off stage’ under Nitish Kumar, citing improvements in roads, electricity, law & order, and women’s empowerment. He framed the polls as a choice between ‘5th gear’ progress and ‘reverse gear’ under opposition rule.
Cash Transfers as Game-Changer: On October 6, the NDA government transferred ₹10,000 each to 21 lakh women under the Mukhyamantri Nari Shakti Yojana (totaling ₹2,100 crore), bringing the cumulative beneficiaries to 1.21 crore. This follows a similar ₹7,500 crore payout to 75 lakh women on September 26. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar hailed it as ‘empowerment,’ but opposition decried it as ‘vote-buying’ timed suspiciously before the ECI briefing.
BJP’s Strategy: Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi hinted at seat-sharing talks post-Dussehra (October 12), urging allies like HAM(S) to align. An opinion poll by IANS-MATRIZE projects NDA at 80-85 BJP seats and 65 JD(U) seats, signaling a strong edge.
Mahagathbandhan’s Internal Strife: The opposition INDIA bloc (RJD: 75 MLAs; Congress: 19; Left parties: 16; others: 1) faces cracks. RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav taunted the NDA with a cryptic ‘Six and eleven, NDA…’ (playing on poll dates), implying defeat, while his son Tejashwi Yadav accused the government of ‘lawlessness’ amid rising murders.
Seat-Sharing Deadlock: Congress demands 50-60 seats but RJD offers only 30-35, stalling talks. CPI(ML) escalated tensions by criticizing RJD’s ‘caste-centric’ approach, demanding more seats for anti-feudal fronts. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) add unpredictability Kishor announced JSP candidates on October 9, targeting all 243 seats with a focus on governance and anti-corruption.
Core Agendas: Unemployment (driving youth migration), caste census demands, and farmer distress dominate. Rahul Gandhi’s recent padyatra highlighted ‘electoral reforms’ and voter list flaws, positioning the bloc as champions of ‘social justice.’
X-Factors in the Race (as per NDTV analysis):
| Factor | NDA Advantage | Mahagathbandhan Edge |
| Welfare Schemes | ₹10k transfers to women; infrastructure (e.g., Rajgir’s ₹1,242 crore cricket stadium) | Promises on jobs, caste-based quotas |
| Caste Dynamics | EBC consolidation; Nitish’s ‘social engineering’ | Yadav-Muslim core; Dalit outreach |
| Migration/Unemployment | Promises of local jobs; anti-migrant bias minimal | Blames NDA for ‘brain drain’ |
| Law & Order | Improved stats under Nitish | Highlights recent murders (e.g., 5 in a week) |
| New Entrants | JSP could split opposition votes | Potential AAP tie-up |
| Voter Turnout | High expected post-Chhath; 2020 was 57% | Migrant returns could boost rural areas |
| National Faces | PM Modi’s rallies | Rahul Gandhi’s youth focus |
Other Notable Developments
Valmiki Jayanti Observances: October 7 marks Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti, with statewide events emphasizing Dalit empowerment. PM Modi spoke to CJI B.R. Gavai (a Dalit-Buddhist) after a shoe-throwing incident at the Supreme Court, underscoring caste sensitivities ahead of polls where Dalit votes (16% electorate) are pivotal.
Economic Relief Measures: Amid RBI warnings on ‘freebies,’ Bihar announced solar panels on 8,053 panchayat buildings and 8 lakh street lights by March 2026, part of ₹7,160 crore rural projects unveiled by Nitish Kumar.
Cultural/Political Buzz: Singer Maithili Thakur is reportedly set to contest from Darbhanga on a BJP ticket, blending celebrity appeal with NDA’s outreach. Meanwhile, Congress held a Patna press briefing criticizing SIR deletions.
Bihar’s polls, dubbed the ‘mother of all elections’ by ECI’s Gyanesh Kumar, promise a high-stakes NDA vs. INDIA showdown, with 8.5 lakh officials ensuring security. With results before the November 22 Assembly expiry, expect intensified rallies and potential SIR fallout to define the narrative. For real-time updates, monitor ECI’s portal or party social media.
