The recently concluded 2025 Bihar Assembly elections stood out for many things — the NDA’s sweeping win, years of pro-incumbency, cash-for-transfer schemes, and a weakened opposition, among others. Another defining feature of this Election is that the State, which has a significant Muslim population, is now set to have its lowest number of Muslim legislators since 2000.

The number of elected Muslim MLAs in Bihar has fallen to 11 in 2025, the lowest in years and a 42% decline from the 2020 Assembly election, when 19 Muslim legislators were elected.

Muslims make up 17.7% of Bihar’s population, according to the 2022 Bihar Caste Census. While they have historically been underrepresented in the State Assembly, accounting for less than 10% of its members, this election marks a new low, with th

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