'If People Reject You, You Come To Court For Popularity': SC On Prashant Kishor Jan Suraaj Party's Plea Against Bihar Election

New Delhi: The Supreme Court declined to entertain a writ petition filed by Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party challenging the Bihar Assembly Elections 2025 and seeking fresh polls in the state.

When the bench expressed its disinclination to hear the matter, the petitioner chose to withdraw the plea. Granting liberty to approach the High Court, a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi dismissed the petition as withdrawn.

During the hearing, the Chief Justice made sharp observations on the nature of the challenge, remarking, "How many votes your party got? If people reject, then you approach the judicial forum to get popularity."

The court clarified that while the issue of political “freebies” is being examined in other pending matters, it would not entertain this petition. 

“The freebies issue is being examined by us seriously. We would like to go into apt. case, but not at the instance of a party that has lost everything in the election and then wants...if this political party gets power, it will do the same thing,the Chief Justice observed.

Plea Withdrawn 

During the proceedings, Justice Bagchi questioned under which provision of Section 100 of the Representation of the People Act the petition sought to set aside the entire election. The court noted that the plea amounted to a composite election petition affecting all constituencies in the state, making it procedurally untenable at the Supreme Court level.

Senior advocate C U Singh, appearing for the petitioner, argued that the matter involved serious violations of the Model Code of Conduct across Bihar, alleging that the level playing field had been disturbed throughout the election process. However, the bench advised the petitioner to approach the High Court, noting that the issue pertained to elections in a single state.

Following the court’s remarks, the plea was withdrawn.

Jan Suraaj Party Massive Setback 

The Jan Suraaj Party failed to open its account in the Bihar Assembly polls, with most of its candidates losing their security deposits.

The election results delivered a decisive mandate in favour of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which secured a sweeping victory with 202 seats, crossing the 200 seat mark for the second time after 2010.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged as the single largest party with 89 seats, followed closely by Janata Dal (United) with 85 seats. Alliance partners Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) won 19 seats, Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) secured five, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha won four seats.

In contrast, the opposition Mahagathbandhan registered a poor performance. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) managed 25 seats, CPI (ML) Liberation won two, while Indian Inclusive Party and CPI(M) secured one seat each.

With the Supreme Court declining to entertain the plea, any further legal challenge by the Jan Suraaj Party will now have to be pursued before the appropriate High Court.

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