Bihar Assembly Elections: A Tale of Democracy's Resilience

Bihar witnessed an impressive voter turnout of 27.65% in the first four hours of its assembly elections' initial phase. According to the Election Commission of India, Begusarai led the voter participation with a remarkable 30.37%, while the state capital, Patna, lagged with 23.71% by 11 am. Lakhisarai, which showed slow progress earlier, accelerated to a 30.32% turnout by the same time.

A significant milestone was achieved in Munger district, where voting took place in the Naxal-hit Bhimband area for the first time in two decades. Residents expressed gratitude for the chance to vote, attributing this positive change to the security measures established in the region. "Earlier, the situation was not favorable, but now we live peacefully," said a local villager. Both young and old reveled in this democratic opportunity.

The first phase of voting kicked off across 121 constituencies, with top political figures like Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD's Tejashwi Yadav urging citizens to embrace their democratic rights. Approximately 3.75 crore voters are expected to participate, with polling concluding by 6 pm, though it ends earlier in sensitive areas due to security reasons.