First voting, then refreshments: PM Modi urges Bihar voters as first phase polling begins today

New Delhi, Nov 6 (IANS) As the first phase of the Bihar Assembly Elections 2025 begins on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to voters to participate enthusiastically in what he called the “festival of democracy,” and reminded them— “First voting, then refreshments.”

The Prime Minister urged citizens, especially first-time voters, to exercise their democratic right responsibly and set an example of civic participation.

Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Prime Minister Modi wrote: “Today in Bihar is the first phase of the festival of democracy. My appeal to all voters of this phase in the assembly elections is that they should vote with full enthusiasm. On this occasion, my special congratulations to all my young companions of the state who are going to cast their vote for the first time. Remember—first voting, then refreshments!”

Polling is being held today for 121 constituencies across 18 districts, marking the start of a high-stakes electoral battle in the state.

More than 3.75 crore voters are eligible to decide the fate of 1,314 candidates, including 122 women contenders. Voting began at 7 a.m. and will continue until 6 p.m., though in some sensitive areas — including Simri Bakhtiyarpur, Mahishi, Tarapur, Munger, Jamalpur, and parts of Suryagarha — polling will conclude an hour earlier due to security concerns.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has made elaborate arrangements to ensure free and fair polling. All 45,324 polling booths are being 100 per cent webcast for real-time monitoring. A total of 121 general observers, 18 police observers, and 33 expenditure observers have been deployed to oversee the process.

Security forces, including the Central Armed Paramilitary Forces and state police, are stationed across all polling centers.

To encourage inclusivity, 926 all-women-managed booths and 107 Divyang (differently-abled) managed booths have been established, along with 320 model booths providing enhanced facilities for voters.

--IANS

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