Prashant Kishor's party, which won zero seats, goes to SC
What's the story
Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party has approached the Supreme Court challenging the 2025 Bihar Assembly Elections. The party has alleged illegal practices in the elections and is demanding fresh polls. At the center of their challenge is the direct transfer of ₹10,000 to women voters under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana during what they claim was a violation of the Model Code of Conduct.
Legal action
Petition seeks declaration on Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana illegalities
The petition, filed under Article 32 of the Constitution, calls for a declaration that adding new beneficiaries to the scheme and making payments during the Model Code of Conduct was illegal. It also seeks action from the Election Commission under Article 324 of the Constitution and Section 123 of the Representation of People Act for corrupt practices. The petitioner has also challenged the deployment of 1.8 lakh women beneficiaries from self-help group JEEVIKA at polling booths as illegal and unfair.
Case specifics
Demand for fresh Assembly elections in Bihar
The petitioner is demanding fresh Assembly elections in Bihar due to these alleged corrupt practices. They want the Election Commission to follow Supreme Court guidelines from S Subramaniam Balaji v. State of Tamil Nadu (2013) on freebies and Direct Benefit Transfer Schemes. The petition also asks for a minimum six-month time frame for implementing schemes affecting free and fair elections before announcing election schedules.
Election
BJP-led NDA retained power
The case is expected to be heard on Friday by a panel comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi. The BJP-led NDA retained power in the state, winning 202 of the total 243 seats, while the INDIA bloc won just 35 seats, including six from the Congress. The Jan Suraaj Party failed to win a single seat, and the majority of its candidates lost their deposits.