Delhi HC junks plea against election of Chirag Paswan as MP from Bihar

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday rejected a challenge to the election of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan from Hajipur Lok Sabha seat in Bihar. Justice Amit Bansal said since the election was held in Bihar, the high court did not have the power to adjudicate the election petition.

"Accordingly, the election petition is dismissed on the ground of lack of territorial jurisdiction," the court held.

The court, however, allowed the petitioner to avail other legal remedies.


The petitioner claimed to be a survivor of sexual assault, which was committed at the "insistence" of Prince Raj and his associates including his cousin Paswan, who did not disclose this "criminal antecedent" at the time of filing his nomination for the polls.

Filing a false affidavit or concealing any information in the affidavit in the respect of criminal cases violates Section 125A of the Representation Of People Act and is punishable with six-month imprisonment, she argued.

Advocate Sidhant Kumar, counsel for the Election Commission of India, said the election petition was not maintainable in Delhi in terms of the Representation of People Act as the election was held in Bihar.