Today, the Supreme Court of India dismissed a plea from Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party to delay the Bihar by-elections set for November 13, citing issues with the Chhath Puja festival. The bench stressed that election scheduling is the Election Commission’s responsibility and noted that other parties did not raise concerns. The elections will proceed as planned.
New Delhi: Today, on Monday, the Supreme Court rejected a petition filed by political strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party seeking to postpone the Bihar by-elections scheduled for November 13. The plea argued that the by-polls would interfere with Chhath Puja, a major festival in Bihar, and urged for a rescheduling of the election dates.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan stated that it was “too late to interfere” in the scheduled by-elections, noting that all necessary arrangements had already been made for the event. The Court emphasized that election scheduling is a policy issue, and therefore not within the typical scope of judicial intervention. The justices asserted that “courts shouldn’t interfere in such matters,” underscoring that it is the responsibility of the Election Commission to determine appropriate dates.
During the proceedings, the bench remarked, “Other political parties do not have a problem. Only you have a problem. You are a new political party, you need to know these zig-zags.” This pointed observation highlighted that no other political group had raised an objection to the timing of the by-elections, only Jan Suraaj.
Representing the party, Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued that Chhath Puja is a significant festival in Bihar and holds immense cultural and religious importance. He pointed out that election dates in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Kerala were previously adjusted by the Election Commission to avoid conflicts with major religious festivals, yet no similar consideration was given for Bihar in light of Chhath Puja.
The upcoming Bihar by-elections are set to take place in four assembly constituencies: Ramgarh, Tarari, Belaganj, and Imamganj. With the Supreme Court’s dismissal, the elections will proceed as scheduled on November 13, and the Election Commission’s decision stands firm.
This ruling underscores the Court’s position that matters of election timing fall under the purview of the Election Commission, reaffirming a long-standing principle that judicial intervention in electoral policies should be minimal unless there is a compelling legal reason. This decision may serve as guidance for emerging political parties, such as Jan Suraaj, on navigating election protocols and the boundaries of judicial influence in matters typically managed by the Election Commission.
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