Proactive Policing, Strong Community Ties Behind Record Voter Turnout: Bihar DGP

Bihar Director General of Police (DGP) Vinay Kumar has credited proactive policing, enhanced community engagement, and the Election Commission’s initiatives for the “historic” voter turnout recorded during the first phase of the state assembly elections.

According to the DGP, the police’s advance identification of potential troublemakers and their areas of influence, along with timely deployment of forces and swift preventive measures, helped foster trust between citizens and law enforcement. “These steps have not only strengthened our relationship with the public but also boosted voters’ confidence,” Kumar said.

Bihar registered the “highest ever” voter turnout of over 65 percent across 121 constituencies during the first phase of polling. Speaking to PTI, Kumar remarked, “Proactive policing, improved police-community relations, developmental works carried out by the state government, and the initiatives taken by the EC are the main reasons behind the historic turnout.”

He further confirmed that the first round of voting on November 6 was conducted peacefully, with no reports of violence.

Looking ahead, Kumar assured that the police are fully prepared for the second phase of polling, scheduled for Tuesday. “Adequate security personnel have been deployed in all 122 assembly seats to ensure free and fair elections,” he said. Security forces will also continue to be stationed in areas that went to polls earlier to maintain “law and order and foolproof poll-related security arrangements.”

Altogether, nearly four lakh security personnel have been positioned across the state to guarantee a smooth and violence-free election process, the DGP stated.

The upcoming phase on November 11 will cover the districts of West Champaran, East Champaran, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Supaul, Araria, and Kishanganj, all of which share borders with Nepal. “Strict vigil is being maintained in districts bordering Nepal. We will not allow anyone to take the law into their hands. Law enforcement agencies are ensuring that ECI’s guidelines are strictly followed in the state,” Kumar said.

Highlighting improved infrastructure, the DGP noted that, for the first time, no personnel had to be airlifted to polling booths. “Since the road infrastructure has remarkably improved in the state, especially in rural areas, we decided to send security personnel, who are engaged in poll duty, to remote areas by road. They are reaching their centres of deployment by road,” he explained.

Kumar also pointed out that there was no need to relocate polling booths this year, a first for Bihar, owing to a significant decline in Maoist activity. “We are ensuring full safety and security of the electorates in sensitive areas. The Quick Response Teams (QRTs) of Bihar Police, comprising commandos of Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and Special Task Force (STF), are also on stand-by to deal with emergencies, security breaches, and other critical incidents,” he added.

With PTI inputs