Bihar Elections are being held in four phases for 243 Assembly constituencies. Polling for the first phase, covering 57 seats was on October 18, 2005, Polling for the second phase, covering 69 seats, would be held on October 26, while 72 constituencies would be covered in the third phase on November 13. The last phase of polling, covering 41 seats, would be on November 19.

Counting of votes would be taken up on November 22.

On 18th October polling began for 57 of the 243 Assembly constituencies in Bihar. Assembly elections are being held in the state, under Presidents Rule since March 7, for the second time this year.

The 12 districts where polling was held in the first are Patna, Bhojpur, Buxar, Kaimur, Rohtas, Gaya, Jehanabad, Arwal, Aurangabad, Nawada, Banka and Jamui.

The RJD has fielded its nominees in 49 constituencies, the Congress in seven and the CPM in one.

NDA allies the BJP and the JD (U) are contesting in 24 and 33 seats respectively. In addition, there are 280 independent candidates.

As per the Election Commission instructions no polling will happen in booths if adequate security has not been provided. Voters would be photographed while casting votes to detect bogus voters against whom stringent action would be taken.

Prominent contenders in the first phase included ministers in the erstwhile Rarbi Devi government. They are Shyam Rajak (Phulwarisharif), Jagdanand Singh (Ramgarh), Mahabali Singh (Chainpur), Illiyas Hussain (Dehri), Raghvendra Pratap Singh (Barahra), Shivanand Tiwari (Shahpur) and Shakeel Ahmed Khan (Gurua).

A total of 554 candidates are left in the fray for the second phase of poll in 69 constituencies on October 26 whose fate would be decided by 1,43,61,799 voters. There are 42 women in the fray. The highest number of 16 candidates have entered the fray in Kadwa, while the lowest, 3 in Alauli.

RJD has put up candidates in 47 seats, its ally Congress has fielded on 15 seats, NCP on 3 and CPI-M on 5. NDA allies JD(U) and BJP have set up candidates in 41 and 26 seats respectively. NDA allies are supporting independents at Matihani and Muzaffarpur.

LJP of Ramvilas Paswan has fielded candidates in 58 places leaving 11 for its ally CPI. Independents are also in the fray in 192 seats.