When did Bihar witness two Assembly elections in a year and why? Know details

With the Election Commission of India (ECI) announcing the schedule for the high-stake assembly elections in Bihar, both the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Mahagathbandhan or the grand alliance have intensified their preparations and have scrambled to finalise the seat-sharing pact. 

According to the top poll body, elections will be held in two phases. While the polling for the phase one will be held on November 6, the phase two will be held on November 11. Meanwhile, the counting of votes will take place on November 14.   

The 2025 assembly elections in Bihar are crucial for both the ruling alliance and the Mahagathbandhan. While the NDA under the leadership of incumbent chief minister and Janata Dal-United (JD-U) supremo Nitish Kumar is seeking another term, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), which leads the Mahagathbandhan, is looking to return to power after more than two decades. 

The RJD had last won an assembly election in Bihar was in 2000 when it had bagged 124 seats. In the next assembly elections in February 2005, it tally had dropped to 75, though, no party had gained a majority. Later in assembly polls in October, its tally dropped further to 54, with the NDA under Kumar gaining a majority.

2005 - a year when Bihar witnessed two assembly elections

Notably, 2005 remains the only year when assembly elections were held twice in the state. First, the polls were in held February in three phases. However, the elections witnessed a hung assembly as no party or an alliance was able to get a clear majority in the state. 

The RJD, which had contested on 210 seats, had managed to win just 75 seats. Meanwhile, the Janata Dal-United (JD-U), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and Congress won 55, 37, 29 and 10 seats, respectively.   

2005 October elections in Bihar

With no party or alliance getting a majority in the Bihar legislative assembly in the February polls, elections were organised by the ECI again in October in four phases. This time, the NDA under Nitish Kumar swept the elections, with the JD-U and BJP winning 88 and 55 seats, respectively. The RJD, however, had won just 54 seats, while the LJP bagged 10 constituencies. Meanwhile, the Congress had won just nine seats.