Patna: Counting of votes for eight Bihar Legislative Council seats began at 8 am on Tuesday, with results expected by late evening. The election covers Teachers’ and Graduates’ constituencies, with 150 candidates waiting to learn their fate.
The counting is taking place for four Graduates’ constituencies — Patna, Darbhanga, Tirhut and Kosi — and four Teachers’ constituencies in Patna, Darbhanga, Tirhut and Saran.
Polling was held on October 23, and candidates and their supporters are now waiting for the results.
Patna Graduates’ seat draws attention
The Patna Graduates’ constituency is among the closely watched contests because of its possible political implications, including the impact on the political calculations of Mokama MLA Anant Singh.
Counting is being conducted at designated centres in the respective divisional headquarters under the supervision of election officials. Security has been tightened, and officials have been directed to follow the prescribed procedures to ensure a smooth and fair process.
At the MIT campus in Muzaffarpur, votes for the Tirhut Graduates’ and Teachers’ constituencies are being counted. The strongrooms were opened at 7 am in the presence of candidates and senior officials.
Tirhut Divisional Commissioner Girivar Dayal is overseeing the arrangements, while personnel assigned to counting duties have been deployed at the centre.
How will the votes be counted?
The counting process will begin with first-preference votes. If no candidate secures the required number of votes to win, second-preference votes will be considered under the applicable rules. Further preferences may also be counted if needed to determine the result.
Results from the Teachers’ constituencies are expected to come earlier because they have comparatively smaller electorates. These constituencies also recorded higher voter turnout than the Graduates’ constituencies.
The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer has completed the arrangements for counting, with security, surveillance and compliance with election procedures among the main priorities.
The results will determine who secures the eight seats in the Bihar Legislative Council. They will also offer an indication of the support enjoyed by the political parties and groups contesting the election.