Patna: By 9 AM on counting day, television networks were already reporting trends for over 200 of Bihar’s 243 Assembly seats. However, the official updates from the Election Commission of India (ECI) presented a much narrower view, with verified data for only 16 constituencies. The ECI’s website indicated that the BJP had the most significant number of early leads, ahead in eight seats. The JD(U) was in second place with four leads, while Chirag Paswan’s LJP (Ram Vilas) was leading in three. Both the Congress and the RJD were ahead in two seats each.
Key figures in the early official trends included Shyam Rajak of the JD(U), leading in Phulwari in Patna, and Anil Kumar of the Congress, who had taken the lead in Bikram. Former deputy chief minister Renu Devi of the BJP was leading in Bettiah, while Arun Kumar of the LJP (Ram Vilas) led in Bakhtiyarpur. Across the state, 46 counting centres have been established in 38 districts, with each counting hall housing 14 tables to process 14 electronic voting machines per round. Barbigha is anticipated to be the first constituency to announce a result.