“The counting of votes for the Bankipur by-election began amid tight security arrangements,” an official said.
Bankipur election results 2026 Live: Who is
The counting process began at Kala Bhawan, AN College, Patna, where officials have made extensive security arrangements. Votes cast at 422 polling stations are being counted in 30 rounds across 14 tables.
Also read: Datia election result 2026: In BJP’s Ashutosh Tiwari vs Congress’ Ghanshyam Singh contest, who is winning?
Postal ballots are being counted first, followed by the EVM votes after around 30 minutes. The first trends are expected around noon, while the final result is likely by around 4 pm, depending on the pace of counting.
The electoral contest has drawn particular attention because of Prashant Kishor’s entry into electoral politics. The Jan Suraaj leader is contesting an election for the first time.
Bankipur bypoll result: Prashant Kishor vs BJP vs RJD
The main contest is being seen as a three-way battle between BJP’s Neeraj Kumar Sinha, RJD’s Rekha Gupta and Jan Suraaj’s Prashant Kishor.The BJP is seeking to retain the constituency, while the RJD has again placed its trust in Rekha Gupta. Kishor’s campaign has added a new dimension to the contest, with the Jan Suraaj Party attempting to make an electoral mark in a seat that has long remained a BJP stronghold.
The BJP has not lost the assembly segment since 1995, when it was known as Patna West.
Why Bankipur bypoll was held
The by-election was necessitated after BJP national president Nitin Nabin resigned from the Bankipur Assembly seat in April after being elected to the Rajya Sabha.
Nabin had won the seat for the fifth consecutive time in November 2025. He defeated RJD’s Rekha Gupta by more than 50,000 votes.
The RJD has once again fielded Gupta in the by-election.
Bankipur election result 2026: What happened on polling day?
The Bankipur by-election was held on July 30, but turnout remained significantly below the previous Assembly election figure.
The constituency recorded a voter turnout of 34.30 per cent, compared with 41.45 per cent in the last Assembly elections. The lower turnout has added another factor to a contest already being closely watched because of Kishor’s debut.
Prashant Kishor alleges police action against Jan Suraaj workers
A day before counting, Kishor raised allegations over police action during the election period.
At a press conference on Sunday, he claimed that Jan Suraaj workers had been detained at locations including Naubatpur, Fatuha and Kankarbagh without being given clear reasons.
Kishor alleged that some of those involved in the detentions were in plain clothes. He said 18 people were detained, including four from the Jakkanpur police station area.
He also referred to 90-year-old Feku Paswan, who was later released, while action was taken against others.
Kishor argued that police resources should instead focus on crime, theft, corruption and law-and-order issues. He demanded an investigation into the alleged detentions and sought details of the legal basis for the arrests and subsequent releases.
He also asked authorities to disclose whether any action had been taken against police personnel who allegedly detained people without sufficient grounds.
Bankipur election results 2026: Security tightened
The administration has placed the EVMs under three-layer security. Twenty-five companies of central paramilitary forces have been deployed along with personnel from the Bihar Special Armed Police.
Around 100 security personnel are working in three shifts, with a DSP supervising security arrangements during each shift.
The strong room is under continuous CCTV surveillance and will be opened in the presence of candidates and their authorised agents before counting begins.
Only authorised officials, counting staff, candidates and their representatives will be allowed inside the counting premises.
Candidates and their agents have been issued QR-code-based passes for entry into AN College. Entry and exit are being allowed only after the QR codes are scanned.
Bankipur result 2026: What to watch
The key question today is whether the BJP can retain its long-held advantage in Bankipur or whether the RJD can overturn its previous defeat with Rekha Gupta. The other major question is whether Prashant Kishor can turn his first electoral contest into a breakthrough for Jan Suraaj.
As counting progresses, round-wise results will determine who takes the lead and whether the BJP’s hold over Bankipur survives the three-way contest.
