Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, alongside Election Commissioners Vivek Joshi and S.S. Sandhu, is scheduled for a two-day visit to Patna, beginning Saturday, October 4, 2025. Their primary objective is to meticulously review the ongoing preparations for the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar, officials confirmed.
The term for Bihar’s 243-member Assembly is set to conclude on November 22. Consequently, the state is expected to hold its polls in multiple phases, commencing towards the end of this month and extending into November.
Officials elaborated that it’s standard procedure for the Election Commission (EC) to conduct such state visits before publicly announcing the official election schedule. During their stay, the CEC and Election Commissioners will engage with representatives from various political parties, as well as senior police, administrative, and state election officials, to comprehensively assess the election readiness. Furthermore, a briefing for the general, police, and expenditure observers appointed by the EC for the Bihar polls is currently underway.
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar’s voter list has recently concluded. The updated electoral roll, published on September 30, now boasts approximately 7.42 crore eligible electors.
However, this SIR process, which marks its first implementation in over two decades, has drawn significant criticism from opposition parties. They have voiced concerns that the revision could potentially disenfranchise millions of legitimate citizens.
In response to these concerns, the Election Commission has firmly stated its commitment to ensuring that no eligible citizen is excluded from the voter list, while also guaranteeing that no ineligible individuals are mistakenly included.