NEW DELHI: Counting of votes for the Bihar Assembly elections will begin at 8 am on Friday, with postal ballots to be counted first before the EVM tally begins at 8.30 am. The focus is now on Jokihat, a key constituency in Araria district, where three prominent contenders are vying for victory — Manzar Alam (JDU), Shahnawaz Alam (RJD) and Sarfaraj Alam (Jan Suraaj). Located in the Araria parliamentary constituency, Jokihat is one of Bihar’s 243 assembly seats and a general category constituency. It has a predominantly rural electorate, with voters from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Muslims, and Other Backward Classes forming the bulk of the population. The Muslim community wields significant electoral influence here, shaping much of the local political narrative. In the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, Jokihat recorded 305,595 registered voters and 310 polling booths, which increased to 331 during the 2024 parliamentary polls. Voter participation has remained consistent, with 57.44% turnout in 2020, almost identical to the previous election.
| Candidate | Party | Votes (to be updated) |
|---|---|---|
| Manzar Alam | JDU | — |
| Shahnawaz Alam | RJD | — |
| Sarfaraj Alam | Jan Suraaj | — |
Across Bihar, the Election Commission has made elaborate arrangements for smooth counting across all 243 constituencies. Over 4,372 counting tables have been set up, manned by supervisors, counting assistants and micro-observers. Security has been strengthened, with Central Armed Police Forces and Bihar Police deployed in a two-tier system to ensure peace. This year’s polls witnessed a historic turnout of 67.13 per cent, the highest-ever in the state’s history, with women voters leading participation at 71.78 per cent compared to 62.98 per cent among men. As results begin to emerge by mid-morning, all eyes are on whether Nitish Kumar’s NDA retains power or if the INDIA bloc led by Tejashwi Yadav stages an upset.
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