Prashant Kishor Moves Supreme Court, Challenges Bihar Assembly Election 2025

PATNA/DELHI: In a dramatic post-election development, Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraj Party has approached the Supreme Court seeking a fresh mandate for the Bihar Assembly Elections 2025. The petition alleges irregularities and violations of the model code of conduct, raising questions about the validity of the current government led by Nitish Kumar.

The case is likely to be heard on Friday by a bench comprising Chief Justice Suryakant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi.

Background: BJP Retains Power, Jan Suraj Fails to Make an Impact

The elections saw the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), securing a strong victory with 202 seats out of 243. The opposition alliance, Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (India), managed only 35 seats, including 6 seats for the Congress. Meanwhile, the Jan Suraj Party failed to open its account, with most of its candidates losing their deposits.

Allegations Against the Bihar Government

The petition alleges that the Bihar government violated the model code of conduct by transferring ₹10,000 to women under the Chief Minister’s Women Employment Scheme shortly after the election schedule was announced. The Jan Suraj Party claims this constituted direct voter influence, undermining the fairness of the electoral process.

The party has requested the Election Commission of India to take action under Article 324 of the Constitution, which mandates the supervision of elections, and Section 123 of the Representation of the People Act, which prohibits direct financial inducements to voters.

The Scheme in Question

The Chief Minister’s Women Employment Scheme is designed to provide financial support of ₹10,000 to women for initiating small businesses, promoting self-employment, and empowering women. The petition contends that the timing of these transfers may have improperly influenced female voters ahead of the elections, necessitating judicial scrutiny and potential remedial action.

The Supreme Court’s decision on whether to entertain the petition could have far-reaching implications for Nitish Kumar’s government and Bihar’s political landscape.