Polling for the high-profile Bankipur Assembly by-election in Bihar witnessed a fresh political flashpoint on Thursday after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused Jan Suraaj Party workers of attempting to influence the election through alleged fake voting. The allegations surfaced while voting was underway in one of Bihar’s most closely watched bypolls, where Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor is making his electoral debut.
The BJP submitted a formal complaint to the Election Commission, urging authorities to strengthen voter verification procedures to prevent any irregularities during polling.
BJP Demands Strict Verification
In its complaint, the BJP alleged that workers associated with the Jan Suraaj Party were attempting to compromise the electoral process by casting fraudulent votes. The party requested election officials to ensure that every voter presents an original Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) and that identities are thoroughly matched with the official electoral rolls before voting.
The BJP maintained that strict verification was essential to preserve the credibility and transparency of the election process.
Prashant Kishor Hits Back
Responding to the allegations, Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor dismissed the BJP’s claims and instead welcomed the demand for stricter voter verification.
Taking a swipe at the ruling party, Kishor remarked, “For the first time, BJP has done something constructive by urging strict scrutiny of EPIC cards to curb fake voting. We welcome this move. Our victory in the Bankipur bypoll is 200% certain.”
His remarks reflected confidence even as political tensions escalated during polling.
Security Tightened Across Constituency
The Patna district administration deployed extensive security arrangements to ensure peaceful polling. Officials stationed super zonal, zonal and sector magistrates across the constituency, while additional police personnel were deployed at sensitive polling booths.
Election officials were also instructed to verify suspicious voter identity cards using the Election Commission’s QR code-based verification system and register FIRs wherever fake identity documents are detected.
Minor Clashes During Voting
Amid the heated contest, supporters of the BJP and Jan Suraaj reportedly engaged in brief confrontations at multiple polling booths. Police intervened quickly and brought the situation under control, preventing any major disruption to the voting process.
Prestige Battle in Bankipur
The Bankipur by-election has emerged as a prestige contest for both the BJP and Jan Suraaj. The BJP is attempting to retain a constituency it has dominated for nearly three decades following the resignation of former MLA Nitin Nabin after his election to the Rajya Sabha.
Apart from BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha and Jan Suraaj chief Prashant Kishor, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has fielded Rekha Gupta, making it a closely watched triangular contest that could have wider political implications ahead of future elections.
