NEW DELHI, Nov 13: Bihar has set a new benchmark in India’s democratic process, recording its highest-ever voter turnout of 67.13% and achieving zero repolls across all 122 assembly constituencies in the 2025 state elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced on Wednesday.

Calling it an “unprecedented milestone,” the ECI said the achievement reflects the success of its ‘Bihar First’ initiative, a series of 17 electoral reforms introduced since March 2025 to ensure free, fair, and transparent polls. Notably, the state registered no cases of malpractice or irregularities — a first in its electoral history.

Female voter participation outshone that of men, with 71.78% of women casting their ballots compared to 62.98% of men, highlighting growing inclusivity and civic engagement.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, oversaw the two-phased election through real-time digital monitoring enabled by ECINet and 100% webcasting across 90,740 polling stations. This digital infrastructure allowed continuous supervision, voter facilitation, and timely data updates throughout the polling process.

The ECI reported that the scrutiny of documents for all constituencies was completed smoothly in the presence of Returning Officers, General Observers, and over 460 candidates or their agents, with no discrepancies or repoll recommendations.

A key driver of this clean election was the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2025, which delivered a verified and updated electoral roll of 7.45 crore registered voters. The ECI said the revision was conducted with “zero appeals,” ensuring accuracy and transparency in voter registration.

Among the other reforms credited for the smooth conduct of the polls were enhanced training for Booth Level Officers at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM), doubled honorariums for election staff, and mobile deposit facilities outside polling stations to curb unauthorized materials.

The Commission also implemented improvements in EVM and VVPAT design, stricter verification protocols, and a voter-centric ECINet app providing near real-time polling updates.

The ECI hailed the 2025 Bihar elections as a model of digital transparency and voter participation, marking a “historic moment in the evolution of India’s electoral democracy.”