New Delhi, Feb 5 (NationPress) The Jan Suraaj party, initiated by political strategist Prashant Kishor, has approached the Supreme Court with a plea to declare the results of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections as null and void, alongside a request for fresh elections.

In a writ petition submitted under Article 32 of the Constitution, the party argues that the disbursement of Rs 10,000 to one woman per family via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) during the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) period compromised the fairness of the election process.

It claims that the Bihar government provided benefits under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana to approximately 25–35 lakh women voters throughout the election period, which amounts to bribery and corrupt practices by the ruling party.

The petition, represented by advocate Aditya Singh, seeks a ruling that the recent addition of beneficiaries and payments made during the elections were unlawful, unconstitutional, and in violation of Articles 14, 21, 112, 202, and 324 of the Constitution.

Accusing the ruling party of extensive voter inducement, the Jan Suraaj party has urged the apex court to instruct the Election Commission of India (ECI) to act under Article 324 of the Constitution and Section 123 of the Representation of the People Act, contending that the DBT payments constituted corrupt electoral practices.

The petition also challenges the deployment of around 1.80 lakh women beneficiaries associated with self-help groups under the JEEVIKA scheme at polling stations during both voting phases, labeling it as illegal and unjust.

Furthermore, it seeks the establishment of comprehensive guidelines regarding freebies and DBT-based welfare schemes, advocating for a minimum time gap of at least six months before elections for the implementation of such schemes.

Post the Bihar Assembly election results, Prashant Kishor accused the ruling party of bribing thousands of impoverished families with Rs 10,000 each in exchange for votes, deeming it a breach of democratic values and the constitutional principles articulated by B.R. Ambedkar.

According to the causelist on the Supreme Court’s website, the Jan Suraaj party’s application is scheduled for hearing before a bench comprising CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi on Friday.

It is noteworthy that the overarching issue of electoral freebies is under examination by the Supreme Court in a pending petition from advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, where the apex court has remarked that extravagant promises from political parties could drive states towards financial ruin and has referred the matter to a three-judge bench. In its 2013 ruling in Subramanian Balaji vs Tamil Nadu, the Supreme Court determined that the distribution of free color television sets by the DMK government after winning the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections did not qualify as a corrupt practice under the Representation of the People Act.