Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraj Party urges Supreme Court to postpone by-elections in Bihar
Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraj Party has complained to the Supreme Court that the by-elections date in Bihar was not postponed by the Election Commission despite the Chhat Puja.
Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraj Party on Saturday filed a plea in the Supreme Court to postpone by-elections in Bihar which are scheduled to be held on November 13. In the petition filed by Jan Suraj Party, it has cited that due to Chhath Puja in Bihar, there has been a demand to shift the date of by-election from November 13 to 20. The Supreme Court will hear the petition of Jan Suraj Party on Monday November 11.
In the petition, Jan Suraj Party has argued that the dates of elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Kerala were advanced by the Election Commission on the basis of religious events, whereas despite the folk festival like Chhath in Bihar, the dates of by-elections in Bihar were not postponed.
According to the petition, the Election Commission not considering the request to postpone elections in Bihar is unjust and also a violation of the right to equality under Article 14 of the Constitution.
Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraj Party has announced the names of the candidates for the by-elections which is to be held on four seats — Tarari, Ramgarh, Belaganj and Imamganj assembly seats — of Bihar. Jansuraj Party has fielded retired Lieutenant General SK Singh from the Tarari seat.
Altogether 38 candidates left in the fray for Tarari, Ramgarh, Belaganj and Imamganj assembly seats of Bihar where by-polls are scheduled. According to a statement from the Election Commission, a total of 50 candidates, including nine women, had filed their nomination papers till October 25, but six of those were rejected during scrutiny and an equal number of persons withdrew from the contest. Of the four constituencies, Belaganj has the highest number of 14 candidates, including RJD's Vishwanath Kumar Singh, son of Surendra Prasad Yadav whose election to the Lok Sabha from Jehanabad has necessitated the by-election. The NDA's bid to retain the seat, falling vacant upon Manjhi's election from the Gaya Lok Sabha seat, faces the main challenge from RJD's Raushan Manjhi, a former member of Zila Parishad.