Bihar Assembly Election 2025: Vote counting to begin at 8 am, alongside bypolls across 7 states/UT

NEW DELHi: Bihar enters the verdict stage as vote counting is set to begin at 8 am, alongside bypolls in eight assembly segments across six states and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, which saw bypolls for their respective vacant seats.

The Bihar Assembly Election voting took place in two phases, on November 6 and November 11. The counting for the 243 Bihar assembly polls will be conducted today. The winner will be declared on the same evening.

This is the first assembly election in the country in two decades, which was conducted following a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls.

The exit polls predicted that the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is poised to form the government again in Bihar.

In Jammu and Kashmir, polling for the bye-elections was held in Budgam following the resignation of Omar Abdullah from the constituency. Chief Minister Abdullah chose to retain the Ganderbal constituency and vacate Budgam after winning both the seats in the 2024 assembly elections.

The main contenders in Budgam are Aga Syed Mehmood of the ruling National Conference and Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, led by Mehbooba Mufti.

Additionally, Nagrota seat of Jammu and Kashmir fell vacant after the demise of BJP legislator Devender Singh Rana last year. Rana passed away within a fortnight of taking the oath, and the counting of votes for the Nagrota seat is scheduled to take place today.

NC’s Shamim Begum is in fray against the BJP’s Devyani Rani in Nagrota. The Congress candidate has withdrawn their nomination in favour of Begum. A total of 13 candidates are contesting the bypolls.

In Punjab, the bypoll for the Tarn Taran assembly constituency took place on November 11. The seat fell vacant following the death of the sitting Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA, Kashmir Singh Sohal, in June 2025. BJP has fielded Harjit Singh Sandhu against AAP Harmeet Singh Sandhu and Congress candidate Karanbir Singh Burj.

Vote counting took place in Anta constituency of Rajasthan’s Baran district following the disqualification of BJP MLA Kanwar Lal Meena, who was convicted in a case dating back to 2005. He was accused of threatening a government official and was convicted in May this year. The election saw a direct contest between Congress candidate Pramod Jai Bhaya and the BJP’s Morpal Suman.

In Jharkhand’s Ghatshila constituency, the fight is between Babulal Soren, son of former BJP Chief Minister Champai Soren, and Mahagathbandhan candidate Somesh Chandra Soren.

In Odisha, the Nuapada Assembly seat fell vacant following the death of senior BJD MLA Rajendra Dholakia in September. Bharatiya Janata Party’s Jay Dholakia will be eyeing to strengthen the party’s position in the state’s assembly as he faces BJD’s Snehangini Chhuria and Congress’s Ghasiram Majhi.

In Telangana’s Jubilee Hills constituency seat, the fight is between Congress’s Naveen Yadav, a leader from the Backwards Class (BC), and BRS’s Sunitha, Gopinath’s widow. The BJP has selected Lankala Deepak Reddy as its candidate.

Mizoram’s Dampa constituency is also one of the constituencies where the by-elections will take place. Lalhmingthanga Sailo of BJP, John Rotluangliana of Congress, R Lalthangliana of MNF and Vanlalsailova of ZPM are the candidates. (ANI)