The results, declared on Sunday, highlight a significant stride towards gender representation in local governance.
Women won 458 posts of ward councillors, mayor and and deputy mayor in the Bihar municipal polls, the results of which were declared by the State Election Commission on Sunday. The Bihar State Election Commission (SEC) also declared 347 male candidates elected for different posts in 31 municipalities in 21 districts, elections for which were held on June 9.
]The counting of votes for 31 municipal bodies in the state began at 8 am on Sunday, amid tight security arrangements. A total of 58 centres had been set up for counting of votes for 805 posts of ward councilors, mayor and deputy mayor. The final result for the Bihar Nagar Nikay elections was declared by the SEC on Sunday evening.
In all, 4,431 candidates—2,197 men and 2,234 women—contested the municipal elections in Bihar. Nine of them had already been declared elected unopposed. The polling took place in Patna, Buxar, Rohtas, Aurangabad, Vaishali, Nalanda, Nawada, Gopalganj, Muzaffarpur, East Champaran, West Champaran, Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Kishanganj, Munger, Lakhisarai, Saharsa, Jamui and Banka districts.
For the first time, the SEC used a Facial Recognition System (FRS) to confirm voters' identities. Officials said the election in 31 urban local bodies includes 24 where the election was not held in the last urban polls held in December, and another seven whose five-year term is ending in June. This include Saharsa and Madhubani municipal corporations. Besides, bypolls were held in seven wards in urban local bodies where elected representatives resigned in the last few months after the December urban elections.