Patna: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) moved into an early advantage on Friday morning as officials began tallying votes for the Bihar Assembly elections. Counting is underway for all 243 seats, with stringent security arrangements in place across the state, according to election authorities.
The process opened at 8 a.m., with officials first sifting through postal ballots in line with Election Commission procedures. Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) figures started coming in about half an hour later, giving the first glimpse of constituency-wise trends. Counting centres have been set up at 46 locations spread across 38 districts.
This year’s two-phase poll is being closely watched, seen as a critical test of Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, who has held power longer than any other chief minister in the state’s history. The outcome is expected to shape the political landscape of Bihar for the coming years.
