The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has ordered the deployment of 500 more companies (50,000 troops), making the total deployment of 1 lakh central security personnel for the upcoming Bihar Assembly Elections
2025, scheduled to be held in just two phases—on November 6 and 11.
Officials confirmed that an additional batch of 500 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), translating to roughly 50,000 troops, will be inducted into Bihar by October 15, bringing the total to 1,000 companies (around 1 lakh personnel) now stationed in the state for election duties.
The massive mobilisation comes amid security concerns and logistical constraints posed by the compressed two-phase schedule. “Had there been more phases, the same forces could have rotated between constituencies,” an MHA official explained. “But with only two phases, simultaneous deployment across districts has become essential.”
According to the communication issued on Wednesday, the CRPF will contribute the largest share with 250 companies, followed by the BSF with 141, the CISF with 85, and the ITBP with 75. The remaining 449 companies will come from the SSB and RPF, making this one of the most extensive deployments of central forces ever witnessed during a state election. Each unit is being strategically positioned across Bihar’s 38 districts based on sensitivity assessments, with special focus on Naxal-affected and communally volatile regions.
A State Under Watch
According to documents reviewed by News18, the CRPF alone is contributing 250 companies, including 129 newly inducted units drawn from across the country—from Manipur to Jammu & Kashmir and Chhattisgarh to Kerala. These will join previously stationed forces from the BSF, ITBP, CISF, SSB, and RPF.
Importantly, forces will be shifted from J&K to Bihar, including operational units, sources added.
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) will act as the nodal agency, coordinating movement, deployment, and communication between the Election Commission of India (ECI), the MHA, and the Bihar Police. Special trains are being arranged by the Railway Board to ferry troops into Bihar over the coming week.
Contingents are being stationed in sensitive districts such as Gaya, Nawada, Jamui, Lakhisarai, Arwal, and parts of Seemanchal, known for both Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) and communal sensitivities.
Fully Equipped For Riot Control
Each company is being equipped with anti-riot gear and non-lethal weapons—including 70 helmets, 70 body protectors, 70 shields, 70 shin guards, 70 lathis, and six gas guns per company, alongside rubber bullets, plastic pellets, smoke candles, and tear gas grenades.
“These are meant to handle crowd control and law-and-order situations without resorting to lethal force,” an official note states.
Troops will also carry Chunav Nirdeshikas—election conduct manuals—down to the platoon level, ensuring personnel are sensitised to election protocols and the ECI’s strict neutrality guidelines.
Tight Timeline, High Stakes
The MHA’s latest order, issued on October 8, directs that all forces must be in place by October 15, giving authorities barely five days to integrate thousands of personnel into local administrative plans. State authorities have been tasked with arranging transportation, accommodation, and logistics for the incoming forces.
Officials say this extraordinary concentration of manpower—roughly one central security trooper for every 80 voters—underscores both the political stakes and security sensitivities of Bihar’s 2025 polls.
Two Phases, One Massive Operation
With polling on November 6 and 11 and counting on November 14, the state will, for nearly a month, resemble a fortified zone.
Flag marches, area domination drives, and intelligence-led surveillance are already underway across multiple districts.
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