‘Cancel Bihar Election Results’: Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party Moves Court Over ‘Rs. 10,000 Cash’

The Jan Suraaj party, floated by strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor, has challenged the results of the Bihar assembly elections in the Supreme Court of India and sought fresh polls. The party has filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court challenging the direct transfer of Rs 10,000 to women voters in Bihar ahead of state polls, while the Model Code of Conduct was allegedly in place. The JSP sought a direction to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to declare the result of Bihar Assembly Elections 2025 “null and void” and to hold fresh elections. A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi will hear the matter tomorrow.The Jan Suraaj's writ petition filed under Article 32 seeks a declaration that the addition

of fresh beneficiaries in the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana, and payments made to them during subsistence of the Model Code of Conduct, was illegal and violative of Articles 14, 21, 112, 202 and 324 of the Constitution. It seeks directions for the Election Commission to take action under Article 324 of Constitution of India and Section 123 of Representation of People Act (which deals with corrupt practices) against direct transfer of Rs. 10,000 to 25-35 lakh women voters in Bihar elections.The Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana provides an initial financial grant of Rs 10,000 to women to launch small businesses and promote self-employment and women's empowerment in the state.It also seeks to declare the deployment of 1.8 lakh women beneficiaries from Jeevika groups on the polling booth illegal. It also sought a detailed guideline on freebies and Direct Benefit Transfer Schemes, saying that the Election Commission may fix a minimum time, preferably six months, to implement such schemes to ensure a free and fair election.The BJP-led NDA retained power in the state, winning 202 of the total 243 seats, while the INDIA bloc bagged only 35, including six of the Congress. The Jan Suraaj Party failed to open its account in the assembly polls, with most of its candidates losing their deposits.