People interact with a police official as they arrive to cast votes at a polling station during the first phase of Bihar Assembly elections, in Patna.
Credit: PTI Photo
The elections are underway in 121 constituencies in Bihar in the first phase of assembly elections on Thursday, amid tight security arrangements, an official said.
The polling officially began at 7 am and will continue till 5 pm.
In the first phase, a total of 3.75 crore voters will decide the electoral fate of 1,314 candidates, including top leaders such as I.N.D.I.A. bloc's chief ministerial face Tejashwi Yadav and Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary of the BJP.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged voters in the state to exercise their franchise with full enthusiasm in the first phase of Assembly elections.
“Today Bihar celebrates the first phase of the festival of democracy. Му appeal to all voters of this phase in the assembly elections is that they should vote with full enthusiasm,” Modi said in a post on X.
“On this occasion, I specially congratulate all my young colleagues in the state who will cast their vote for the first time. Remember, vote first, then refreshments (pehle matadan, phir jalpan)," Modi said.
The remaining 122 seats will go to polls on November 11, and the votes will be counted on November 14.
(with PTI inputs)