The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a petition filed by Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party challenging the 2025 Bihar Assembly election.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi heard the plea, which challenged the Bihar government’s decision to transfer Rs 10,000 to women beneficiaries under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana after the election schedule was announced.
The transfer was in violation of the model code of conduct (MCC), the party alleged.
"How many votes did you get? Once people reject you, you use the judicial forum to get relief! Somebody should have challenged the scheme itself then. That is not the prayer before us. You just want the election to be declared null and void," the bench was quoted as saying by legal news websites.
“We cannot issue an omnibus direction for the entire state that too at the instance of a political party,” CJI Kant reportedly said.
The bench asked the party, represented by senior advocate C.U. Singh, to approach Patna High Court.
Singh accused that the debt-ridden state gave away Rs 15,600 crore just ahead of polls, which denied a level playing field to other political parties.
Singh said that he was raising a larger issue regarding the violation of the model code of conduct.
He said that the offer of direct cash transfer was made to over 1.56 crore women without any prior scrutiny. The only qualification was that the husband or the woman should not be an income-taxpayer or should hold a government job.
The announcement was made just ahead of the elections, and it will amount to a corrupt practice, Singh argued.
"Direct transfer schemes are different. This is about women self help groups," the bench said.
"We will consider the freebies issue. But we have to see the bona fide also.. we cannot look at that at the behest of a party which has just lost. When you come to power, you will do the exact thing," CJI Kant reportedly said.
The Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) had moved the Supreme Court on Thursday seeking fresh elections in Bihar after the BJP-led NDA retained power in the 243-member Assembly by winning 202 seats.
The JSP failed to win any seat, with most of its candidates forfeiting their deposits.