A new government will be formed in Bihar today, but do you know how much money was spent in the elections?

New Delhi. Election results in Bihar will be known by this evening. Along with this, the new government will also be decided. Even though the decision of victory or defeat will come in a day, this entire election process has taken several weeks of hard work. During the election campaign, all the parties made tall promises and tried to woo the public. Now the question arises that how much money would have been spent in this entire election process. Although the Election Commission releases its official figures, but there is still time for these figures to come. Presently, when this question was asked to Artificial Intelligence, it presented many interesting figures.

When X’s AI Grok was asked about the total expenditure incurred on Bihar Assembly elections, he gave detailed information. Although the Election Commission has fixed the maximum limit of expenditure for each candidate at Rs 40 lakh in big states like Bihar, but it is known to everyone that candidates spend much more money than this on their election campaign. Lakhs of rupees are spent on election rallies alone. The Election Commission also monitors all these and takes action like fine if expenditure exceeds the limit.

What was the estimated cost?
According to Grok, if the calculations are based on the expenditure limit of the Election Commission, then on an average 10 to 12 candidates have contested the total 243 assembly seats of Bihar. Thus, as a rough estimate, if each candidate spent only Rs 40 lakh, the total expenditure figure would be around Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200 crore. The Election Commission has prepared a team of 67 expenditure observers to monitor the expenditure. This team will present its figures in a few days, after which the Election Commission will also release the official expenditure figures of Bihar.

Huge expenditure on helicopter
Bihar assembly elections this time will be remembered for one more thing, that is the helicopter campaign. More than Rs 72 crore was spent on helicopter fare in the 2025 assembly elections. If a helicopter flies an average of 4 to 5 hours a day during the election campaign, it costs Rs 12 lakh including GST. During the entire election, all the helicopters together flew about 3 thousand hours. If this expenditure is also added, the total expenditure figure in the elections will reach around Rs 1,500 crore.

Where was the most expenditure made?

• More than 2,600 candidates have spent around Rs 700 crore on the election campaign, including small expenses like vehicles, posters, rallies and tea-samosas.
• Helicopter flights at Patna airport increased three times since October 16 and all parties together spent around Rs 72 crore on its rental.
• Rs 100 to 200 crore was also spent on social media, TV, YouTube, newspaper and digital advertising.
• During the elections, more than 67 thousand centers were set up across the state for voting, on whose arrangements and security Rs 200 to 300 crores were spent.

Expense details will have to be given within 75 days
According to the rules of the Election Commission, all the candidates will have to give details of their expenses within 75 days of the end of the elections. Besides, the observers appointed by the Election Commission will also submit their report. If in the Observer’s report expenditure is found to be more than the prescribed limit, then fine will be imposed on the concerned candidates and parties. In the 2020 assembly elections, more than 100 candidates were fined for spending more than the limit. According to the Commission, the total expenditure in the 2020 elections was Rs 600 to 800 crore, whereas in the 2015 elections, about Rs 500 crore was spent.