Patna, Oct 20 (IANS) On the final day for withdrawal of nominations, 61 out of total candidates in fray for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly election withdrew their papers on Monday, according to the data released by the Election Commission.

As per official figures, 1,690 candidates had filed their nominations for the first phase covering 121 constituencies across 18 districts.

During the scrutiny of papers, 315 nominations were found invalid due to various discrepancies, leaving 1,375 valid candidates in the fray.

After the withdrawal process concluded, the final number of candidates contesting in the first phase stands at 1,314.

A district-wise breakdown shows that the highest number of withdrawals (9) came from Patna, followed by Darbhanga (8), Begusarai (7), and Gopalganj (6).

Additionally, Vaishali recorded 5 withdrawals, Muzaffarpur recorded 4 withdrawals, while Siwan, Samastipur, Nalanda, and Buxar each saw 3 candidates pulling out.

Madhepura, Khagaria, and Munger reported 2 withdrawals each, and Saharsa, Saran, Sheikhpura, and Bhojpur saw one withdrawal each.

The nomination process for the first phase began on October 10 and ended on October 17. Voting will be held on November 6.

Meanwhile, the nomination process for the second phase, covering 122 seats in 18 districts, ended at 5 p.m. on Monday.

Candidates for this phase can withdraw their nominations until October 23.

Polling for the second phase will take place on November 11, and the results will be declared on November 14.

The main contest in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections is shaping up between the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the opposition Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan).

The NDA has already finalised its seat-sharing formula, with the Janata Dal (United) and the Bharatiya Janata Party contesting 101 seats each, while the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will fight on 29 seats. The Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) will contest on 6 seats each.

–IANS

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