Bihar election 2025 phase 1 voter turnout: 60.13% turnout recorded till 5 pm, Tej Pratap Yadav says JJD would emerge as 'serious political force'

A total of 60.13 per cent of 3.75 crore voters exercised their right to franchise as of 5 pm on Thursday during the first phase of the Bihar assembly polls. Begusarai reported the highest polling percentage at 67.32 per cent so far, followed by Samastipur (66.65 per cent), Madhepura (65.74 per cent), and Muzaffarpur (64.63 per cent).

The lowest voter turnout was reported in Bhojpur and Sheikhpura at 52.36 per cent and 53.24 per cent, respectively, as of 5 pm, according to the Election Commission's Voter Turnout App. 

Bihar Election 2025: Voter turnout in phase 1

Meanwhile, Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD) founder Tej Pratap Yadav said that his party would emerge as a "serious political force" after the assembly elections. His party is fighting elections on 44 seats. 

"I am confident the people of Mahua will bless me again. Why won't they? I have worked for them, and they know it," he told PTI. 

Earlier in the day, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) alleged that the electricity supply was being cut intermittently at the Mahagathbandhan's "strong booths" to deliberately slow down the voting process. The party urged the Election Commission to take immediate cognisance of the matter.

The Bihar Election Commission dismissed these allegations as "completely baseless and misleading". 

Several senior leaders, including RJD’s CM candidate and INDIA bloc leader Tejashwi Yadav, Union ministers Giriraj Singh and Rajiv Ranjan Singh 'Lalan', and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha, were among the early voters.

Tejashwi Yadav, accompanied by his family, including RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, also cast his vote at a polling booth in Patna’s Veterinary College.

Voting began at 7 am for 121 seats and will continue till 5 pm, as per officials. In the first phase of elections, a total of 3.75 crore voters will decide the fate of 1,314 candidates, including Tejashwi Yadav and Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Chaudhary.