How to Spot Biased Election Coverage: Lessons from Delhi & Bihar 2025
TL;DR: The 2025 Delhi and Bihar elections exposed systematic media bias in election coverage. Pro-government outlets dismissed fraud allegations without investigation; opposition-friendly outlets amplified them uncritically. AI deepfakes emerged as a major threat. Learn the patterns—selective outrage, coordinated narratives, and strategic silence—to become a smarter news consumer during elections.
Elections are when media bias matters most. In a democracy, informed voting depends on accurate information—and 2025's Delhi and Bihar elections showed just how far Indian media falls short of that standard.
This analysis examines the bias patterns that emerged during both elections and provides a practical guide to spotting electoral bias in any future election.
The 2025 Election Landscape
Delhi Assembly Elections (February 2025)
In a landmark victory, the BJP won the Delhi Assembly Elections on February 8, ending AAP's influence in the national capital. The results:
- BJP: 48 out of 70 seats
- AAP: 22 seats
- Congress: 0 seats
Bihar Assembly Elections (November 2025)
The Bihar elections were held in two phases—November 6 and November 13—and were marked by significant controversy over electoral integrity.
Both elections became case studies in how media bias shapes democratic discourse.
Case Study: The "Vote Fraud" Coverage Gap
What Happened
During the Bihar elections, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi made serious allegations of large-scale voter list manipulation, coining the term "vote chori" (vote theft).
The allegations included:
- Fake voter IDs with photos of non-Indians
- Duplicate entries in electoral rolls
- Suspicious additions to voter lists just before elections
How Pro-Government Media Covered It
Most mainstream media outlets downplayed the story or cast doubt on Gandhi instead of investigating his claims.
The pattern:
- Major TV channels quickly parroted the ruling party's rebuttal
- The narrative became: "Rahul is making excuses for an impending loss"
- Coverage shifted to a trivial side-angle about a "Brazilian model" whose photo was misused in fake voter IDs
- The core issue—electoral rolls integrity—was largely ignored
As The Wire's media analysis noted, this orchestrated diversion was repeated "show after show; newspaper report after newspaper report."
How Opposition-Friendly Media Covered It
Outlets like Newslaundry and The Wire:
- Actually investigated the allegations
- Examined the electoral roll data
- Criticized mainstream media for their silence
- Gave extensive platform to the opposition's concerns
The Bias Revealed
Neither approach was ideal:
- Pro-government media dismissed serious allegations without investigation
- Opposition-friendly media may have amplified claims without sufficient verification
The healthy middle ground—investigating allegations rigorously regardless of who makes them—was largely absent.
The Delhi Election: Accusations of Official Bias
The Controversy
AAP's Sanjay Singh accused a Delhi election officer of BJP bias, citing the official's social media activity (reportedly retweeting pro-BJP content).
How Different Outlets Covered It
| Outlet Type | Coverage Approach |
|---|---|
| Republic TV | Dismissed as "desperate AAP tactics," focused on AAP's "panic" |
| NDTV | Reported the accusation, included Election Commission's response, examined evidence |
| Times of India | Brief mention, led with Election Commission denial |
| The Wire | Detailed investigation of the officer's social media history |
The same factual event—an accusation with social media evidence—produced wildly different coverage based on outlet bias.
AI Deepfakes: The New Threat
2025's Misinformation Milestone
The 2025 elections marked India's first major encounter with AI-generated deepfakes in electoral politics.
The Election Commission took unprecedented action:
- Banned AI deepfakes in Bihar Assembly Elections
- Issued guidelines on synthetic media
- Required disclosure of AI-generated content
The Media Response
Coverage of AI deepfake threats varied predictably:
Pro-government outlets:
- Emphasized deepfakes targeting BJP leaders
- Called for harsh penalties
- Framed it as opposition "dirty tricks"
Opposition-friendly outlets:
- Highlighted deepfakes spreading pro-BJP messages
- Questioned enforcement capabilities
- Examined foreign actor involvement
The Reality
Deepfakes were created and shared by supporters of all parties. The technology is neutral—the bias lies in who gets caught and how it's covered.
Patterns of Electoral Bias to Watch For
Based on 2025's coverage, here are the key bias patterns to recognize:
1. Selective Outrage
What it looks like:
- Scandal involving Party A gets weeks of primetime coverage
- Similar scandal involving Party B gets one brief mention
- Double standards in demanding accountability
Example from 2025:
Opposition candidates' alleged misstatements were dissected endlessly on certain channels, while ruling party gaffes were quickly explained away.
2. Coordinated Narratives
What it looks like:
- Multiple outlets suddenly using the same phrases
- Talking points appearing simultaneously across "competing" channels
- Questions in press conferences that seem pre-arranged
Example from 2025:
The "Brazilian model" story dominated multiple channels simultaneously, effectively burying the electoral rolls investigation.
3. Strategic Silence
What it looks like:
- Major story simply not covered by certain outlets
- No follow-up on inconvenient developments
- Breaking news that contradicts preferred narrative gets minimal airtime
Example from 2025:
Several major outlets never seriously examined the vote fraud allegations—they simply weren't covered.
4. Source Selection Bias
What it looks like:
- Expert panels stacked with one perspective
- "Balanced" debates with 4 vs 1 panelist ratios
- Opposition voices given less time or interrupted more
Example from 2025:
On certain channels, debates about electoral integrity featured multiple ruling party defenders against a single opposition voice.
5. Framing Through Headlines
What it looks like:
- Same facts, opposite impressions based on headline
- Loaded language ("alleges" vs "exposes," "claims" vs "reveals")
- Question headlines that imply answers
Example:
- Biased: "Has Rahul Gandhi Lost Touch with Reality Over Vote Fraud Claims?"
- Neutral: "Rahul Gandhi Alleges Vote Fraud; Election Commission Responds"
How to Be a Smarter Voter-Consumer
During Election Season:
1. Follow Multiple Outlets Deliberately
Don't just read what your social media serves you. Actively seek out:
- One pro-government source
- One opposition-friendly source
- One centrist/independent source
- One international perspective
2. Check the Full Coverage Feature
Use Google News' "Full Coverage" or The Balanced News to see how the same story is framed across outlets.
3. Watch for Missing Stories
If a major allegation is only covered by outlets of one political leaning, ask why. Either:
- The allegation lacks merit (hence others ignore it)
- Other outlets have reasons to suppress it (bias)
4. Verify Before Sharing
During elections, misinformation spreads fastest. Before sharing:
- Check if the story appears in multiple credible outlets
- Look for original sources/documents
- Search fact-checking sites (BOOM, Alt News)
- Be especially skeptical of content that makes you emotional
5. Understand Polling Coverage
Polls can be manipulated through:
- Methodology choices (who's sampled)
- Question framing (leading questions)
- Selective release (only publishing favorable polls)
- Exit poll timing (released to influence remaining voters)
Questions to Ask About Any Election Story:
- Who benefits if I believe this story?
- What's missing from this coverage?
- How would this look on an outlet with opposite bias?
- What evidence is actually provided vs. alleged?
- Is this news or opinion disguised as news?
The Deepfake Detection Guide
As AI-generated content becomes more sophisticated, here's how to spot potential deepfakes:
Visual Clues:
- Unnatural blinking patterns
- Lighting inconsistencies
- Blurry areas around face/hair edges
- Audio-visual sync issues
- Strange hand movements or missing hands
Contextual Clues:
- Extraordinary claims without verification
- Appearing just before major events (designed to go viral before debunking)
- No original source or event documented elsewhere
- Spreading primarily through WhatsApp/Telegram (harder to trace)
Verification Steps:
- Reverse image search for original content
- Check if the person/organization has denied it
- Look for fact-checker coverage
- Search for the original event (was it recorded by others?)
The 2025 Misinformation Ecosystem
A year-end analysis by Newschecker identified major misinformation trends during 2025 elections:
| Trend | Description |
|---|---|
| AI Deepfakes | First major deployment in Indian elections |
| WhatsApp Forwards | Continued primary vector for fake news |
| Coordinated Campaigns | Organized spread of specific narratives |
| Foreign Involvement | Evidence of non-Indian actors in information warfare |
| Mainstream Amplification | TV channels sometimes amplifying unverified social media claims |
What Would Unbiased Election Coverage Look Like?
Imagine election coverage that:
- Investigates all allegations regardless of who makes them
- Applies consistent standards to all parties
- Clearly separates news from opinion
- Provides equal time to competing claims
- Follows up on all major stories, not just convenient ones
- Admits uncertainty when facts aren't clear
- Discloses outlet ownership and potential conflicts
This standard is rarely met in Indian media. Knowing that, you can adjust your consumption accordingly.
Conclusion: Your Vote Depends on Your News Diet
Elections determine the country's future. Media bias during elections isn't just a journalism problem—it's a democracy problem.
The 2025 Delhi and Bihar elections showed that:
- Pro-government media protects incumbents by dismissing allegations
- Opposition-friendly media may amplify claims without sufficient scrutiny
- AI deepfakes are now a real threat requiring new vigilance
- Coordinated narratives can drown out legitimate questions
Your defense is media literacy:
- Read across the spectrum
- Verify before believing
- Recognize bias patterns
- Demand better from outlets you follow
Your vote is your most powerful democratic tool. Make sure biased media doesn't manipulate how you use it.
Want to see how different outlets cover elections differently? Try The Balanced News - we show you left, right, and center perspectives on every major story.
Sources & Citations
- The Wire - Bihar Election Media Coverage Analysis
- NDTV - AAP Accuses Delhi Poll Officer of BJP Bias
- Newschecker - Major Misinformation Trends 2025
- MediaNama - ECI Bans AI Deepfakes in Bihar Elections
- The Balanced News - Indian Media Year in Review 2025
- Election Commission of India - Official Guidelines 2025
