[21] Election Commission used three new software products – Suvidha, Samadhan and Sugam – to facilitate campaigning, public grievance redressal and vehicle management in Bihar.

[31] The e-postal ballot system and the existing proxy-voting facility is extended for NRI voters from their place of residence abroad.

[38] The Election Commission introduced the specific symbol for NOTA, a ballot paper with a black cross across it, on 18 September.

[39][40] On 31 July, the ECI published the final voters' list for the election,[41] which has an overall population of 10,38,04,637, in accordance with the 2011 Census of India.

[50][51] On 19 August, the central government notified 21 Bihar districts, including the capital Patna, as backward areas and unveiled tax rebates for them.

[58] In July, Nitish Kumar announced a 50 percent quota for OBC, EBC and SC/STs in all government contracts up to Rs 15 lakh.

[61] In September, the government agreed to the creation of a dedicated fund for fencing off temples and the inclusion of two Extremely Backward Castes (EBCs), Nishad (Mallah) and Nonia, in the SC/ST category.

[70] The Mahadalit community consists of the following sub-castes: Bantar, Bauri, Bhogta, Bhuiya, Chaupal, Dabgar, Dom (Dhangad), Ghasi, Halalkhor, Hari (Mehtar, Bhangi), Kanjar, Kurariar, Lalbegi, Musahar, Nat, Pan (Swasi), Rajwar, Turi, Dhobi, Chamar and Paswan (Dusadh).

[114][115] BJP Leader Sushil Kumar Modi called for rectification of errors in the cases of 1.46 crore people in India, including 1.75 lakh in Bihar, before releasing the caste data.

[134][135] The Janata Dal-United started 400 audio-visual vans called Jan Bhagidari Manch raths[clarification needed] for the campaign.

[136] Kumar is launching 'Bihar Samman Sammelan' in various cities, including Delhi and Mumbai, to connect with the Bihari diaspora.

[137] However, the grand alliance broke on 26 July 2017 as a result of the resignation by Nitish Kumar and on the next day 27 July JD(U) made an alliance with NDA and Nitish Kumar sworn in as the chief minister of Bihar for the 6th time and Sushil Modi was sworn in as the deputy chief minister for the 3rd time.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) used 243 GPS-monitored raths (modified Boleros) and video vans in the election.

[138][139][140] The BJP also set up a monitoring headquarters in Patna to track the movement of the GPS-equipped vehicles which will visit 40,000 villages in all 243 constituencies.

[141][142] The campaign was kick-started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Muzaffarpur on 25 July, where he also inaugurated the permanent campus of IIT Patna in Bihta.

[159][160][161] He said of the Mahagathbandhan that it was trying to hatch a conspiracy to carve out a sub-quota on the basis of religion as the Supreme Court of India has said reservation cannot be more than 50%.

[162][163][164][165] On 27 October, in Bettiah, he again accused Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav of diluting the share of SC, ST and OBC.

[168] Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley also agreed with Modi's assertions that the idea of reservations on the basis of religion is fraught with danger.

[169][170] On 1 November, Modi repeated the allegations that the two leaders came together in July 2005 to demand a review of the policy to provide for religion-based reservation.

[174][175][176] On 11 June, Jitan Ram Manjhi announced his party Hindustani Awam Morcha alliance with the NDA for the election.

[196] All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi addressed a rally in Kishanganj on 16 August.

[199][200][201] AIMIM is contesting on 6 assembly seats in Seemanchal region where Muslim voters play a major role.

[202][203][204] He addressed a public rally in Kishanganj on 4 October in the Sontha village, which is part of the Kochadhaman Assembly constituency.

[215] On 6 September, Mayawati said of the central government that it was being "remote-controlled" by the "communal and fascist" organisation Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

[216][217][218] Naseemuddin Siddiqui, Munquad Ali (Rajya Sabha MP), and Ram Achal Rajbhar were appointed to form a strategy to consolidate the Dalits, Most Backward Castes (MBCs), and Muslim votes.

[219] On 9 September, Mayawati questioned the announcement of Dearness Allowance (DA) by the central government just before the election and again accused the RSS and its affiliated Sangh Parivar organizations of using the 2011 national census for fear-mongering against Muslim population growth for sectarian purposes, as well as to divert attention from such issues as the alleged failure of the central government to deliver on its promises.

[220] On 10 September, she called for the deployment of central forces in large numbers on electoral duty to assure a free and fair election and further asked the ECI to keep a watch on possible sectarian ploys by the BJP.

[223] On 13 October, addressing a rally in Rohtas and Kaimur districts, she claimed that the SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and the party leadership had surrendered to the BJP.

[227] Expelled RJD MP Pappu Yadav created the Jan Adhikar Party before the election and announced to fight against the Lalu-Nitish alliance.

[269] Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar was sworn in as chief minister for the fifth time on 20 November 2015 after the Mahagathbandhan alliance won a sweeping victory, taking 178 seats.