Bihar Sets New Voter Turnout Record: Women Outnumber Men for Third Consecutive Election

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In a historic achievement, women voters in Bihar have once again outnumbered their male counterparts, marking the third consecutive election where this trend has been observed. According to provisional data from the Election Commission of India (ECI), the overall voter turnout in the state reached a record 66.91%, with women accounting for 71.6% of the votes cast, compared to 62.8% for men. The significant increase in voter participation is a testament to the strength of India's democracy, as stated by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. He described the Bihar polls as 'historic' in terms of voter participation and the conduct of the electoral process. Kumar praised the voters for casting the highest percentage of votes since 1951, with women showing complete faith in the Election Commission, resulting in the highest voter turnout ever. The polling process was conducted in two phases, covering over 74.5 million electors across 38 districts. The first phase recorded a turnout of 65.08%, while the second phase saw 68.79% participation. The highest turnouts were reported from areas bordering West Bengal, including Katihar (78.86%), Kishanganj (78.15%), and Purnia (76.26%). Conversely, the lowest turnouts were observed in constituencies in southern and central Bihar, such as Nawada (55.03%) and Bhagalpur (56.19%). The Election Commission's efforts to ensure a peaceful and transparent electoral process have been praised, with no untoward incidents reported during the polling. The deployment of adequate forces in Naxal-affected areas allowed polling to take place smoothly, without the need for helicopters to facilitate voting. As the final turnout figure may increase following scrutiny and tallying of ballot votes, Bihar has set a new benchmark for voter participation in Indian elections.