Six defeated Congress candidates from the recently concluded Bihar Assembly elections filed a writ petition in the Patna High Court on December 27, 2025, challenging the poll outcomes in their respective constituencies. The petitioners have accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of serious irregularities, including favoritism during a special intensive revision of voter lists, deliberate overlooking of alleged violations of the Model Code of Conduct, and manipulation of results through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The move comes amid growing discontent within the opposition ranks following the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) victory in the state elections.

The candidates, who lost by varying margins in their seats, claim that the voter list revisions conducted shortly before polling disproportionately affected opposition strongholds. They allege that thousands of genuine voters, particularly from minority and marginalized communities, were removed or marked as shifted without proper verification, while new entries allegedly favored ruling party supporters. The petition further contends that complaints regarding breaches of the Model Code of Conduct—such as misuse of government machinery and inducements—were not investigated impartially. Most controversially, the petitioners have raised doubts over the integrity of EVMs, demanding a thorough probe into alleged tampering and a comparison with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips in disputed booths.

The Bihar Assembly elections, held in multiple phases earlier in 2025, saw the NDA, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies, including the Janata Dal (United), secure a comfortable majority, continuing its dominance in the state. Congress, which contested as part of the opposition Mahagathbandhan alliance, struggled to make significant gains and failed to retain several seats it had previously held or targeted. The high court's intervention is being closely watched, as it could set a precedent for how election disputes involving voter list revisions and EVM reliability are handled in future polls. Legal experts note that while similar challenges have been filed in the past, the Supreme Court has generally upheld the ECI's authority unless concrete evidence of large-scale malpractice is presented.

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The Election Commission has yet to formally respond to the petition, but sources indicate it is likely to defend the electoral process as free, fair, and transparent. The Patna High Court is expected to hear the matter in the coming days, with the petitioners seeking interim relief, including a stay on the declaration of results in their constituencies or a direction for re-polling in select booths. This legal challenge reflects the broader tensions between the opposition and the ECI, as well as the ongoing national debate over electoral reforms, voter inclusion, and technological safeguards in India's democracy. The outcome could influence public perception of the Bihar results and shape strategies for upcoming elections in other states.

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