SC Refuses Jan Suraaj Plea to Nullify Bihar Polls Over Cash Handouts

The Supreme Court on Friday declined to entertain a plea by the Prashant Kishor-led Jan Suraaj Party seeking annulment of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, reproaching the party for invoking the judicial forum after suffering a resounding defeat at the polls. The court indicated that the high court would be the appropriate forum to examine any state-specific grievances.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi refused to examine allegations of large-scale electoral malpractice, including direct cash transfers of ₹ 10,000 to women voters during the imposition of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), observing that courts cannot be used to undo an electoral verdict delivered by voters. “How many votes did you get? Once people reject you, you use the judicial forum to get relief,” the bench told the petitioner’s counsel, pointing out that Jan Suraaj Party had contested most seats but failed to win a single constituency. “You just want the election to be declared null and void,” remarked the bench, adding that the scheme should have been challenged at the appropriate stage.

The court indicated that the high court would be the appropriate forum to examine any state-specific grievances. “Since it deals with only one state, please go to that high court. In some cases, there is a serious issue of freebies, which we will seriously examine,” the bench said. Senior advocate CU Singh, appearing for Jan Suraaj Party, argued that the Bihar government had misused the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana to influence voters by enrolling fresh beneficiaries just before the polls and transferring ₹ 10,000 to women when the MCC was in force. He contended that over 3.5 million women were brought under the scheme during the election period, despite the state facing a grave fiscal deficit. “This is a dole in the sense that ₹ 10,000 is paid immediately,” Singh submitted.

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