PATNA, Nov. 7 -- Women in Bihar continued with their aggressive voting, with yet another powerful demonstration in the first phase of the assembly election 2025 to boost overall voting percentage to 64.46% -- the highest ever recorded in the state. Bihar's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vinod Singh Gunjial said that the participation of women was higher than men, but the exact figures would be shared later. This is significant considering the deletion of around 4.7 million voters in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with clear dip in the number of woman voters. However, it did not show any adverse impact on the voting trend. While the voting percentage of men was 54.5% in 2020 despite the shadow of Covid-19 pandemic, it was 59.7% for women. The average voter turnout in Bihar for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections was 56.28%, with men's participation at 53% and women's turnout at 59.45%. In 2020, the women's voting percentage of 59.7% was lower than 60.5% recorded in 2015 Assembly election but higher than 54.5% in 2010. It was in 2010 when woman voters first outnumber men and since then have continued with the trend -- fourth time in a row in the first phase of 2025. There were just three occasions in the past when the state recorded over 60% voting in Vidhan Sabha polls -- in 1990, 1995 and 2000 -- but on those occasions it was due to aggressive voting by men. The election data of 2020 showed that out of 125 seats the NDA won in Bihar elections last time, 99 came from constituencies that saw higher voting percentage of women than men. Women, who make up 47.86% (2011 Census) of the state, are a key electoral demographic element in Bihar and are credited for the political longevity of chief minister Nitish Kumar. Their voting percentage has been significantly higher than men in the last three elections and the trend continued in 2025 despite meagre representation to them in ticket distribution by all the mainstream parties. With women queuing up at polling booths in the remotest areas, especially Samastipur and Begusarai, since early morning, Janata Dal (United) working president Sanjay Jha said it was a reflection of their faith in CM Nitish Kumar and PM Modi, which has only increased in every election. "I think women voters are coming out in large numbers because they have faith in NDA and Nitish Kumar due to the targeted and consistent government policies for their empowerment ," Jha said in Bakhtiyarpur, where he accompanied Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, who cast his vote in the first phase. However, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, had a contrary view, as he posted on X: "Tawa se roti palatati rahni chahiye nhi toh jal jayegi (The roti should keep turning on the tawa, otherwise it will burn). Twenty years is too long! Now, for a youth government and the new Bihar, a Tejashwi government is extremely necessary." In present Vidhan Sabha there are 10.70% women members. Following the 2020 elections, 26 women legislators had got elected out of 243, which was lower than 28 women (11%) winning in 2015 and significantly lower than the highest number 34 (14%) in 2010. Yet, despite parties not showing confidence, in the 2020 Assembly polls woman had outnumbered male voters by a margin of 5.2% and it further increased to around 6.5% in 2024 Lok Sabha election in Bihar and it is expected to be the key difference again in 2025....