**Executive Summary**
This document addresses Unstarred Question No. 1127, submitted to the Ministry of Law and Justice regarding irregularities in the Bihar Assembly elections of 2025. The question was scheduled to be answered on Friday, December 5th, 2025. The response details findings related to complaints of irregularities, including VVPAT slips, and actions taken by the Election Commission.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Scrutiny of Documents:**
* The Election Commission of India stated that the scrutiny of documents was conducted smoothly in all Assembly Constituencies (ACs).
* Returning Officers, General Observers, candidates, or their agents were present during the scrutiny.
* No discrepancies/malpractice were found at any polling stations.
* No requests for re-polling were received.
* **VVPAT Verification:**
* Mandatory VVPAT slip verification was done for five randomly selected polling stations per Assembly Constituency.
* No discrepancy was found between VVPAT slips and the EVM count.
* No applications for checking and verification of EVMs were received from losing candidates after results were declared.
* **VVPAT Slips in Samastipur:**
* Shredded and unshredded VVPAT slips related to 136-Sarairanjan AC were found discarded near a school in Sarairanjan, Samastipur, on 08.11.2025.
* The discarded slips were related to mock polls conducted during EVM commissioning.
* **Action Against Erring Officials:**
* Three Assistant Returning Officers of 136-Sarairanjan AC were immediately suspended.
* Disciplinary proceedings were initiated against the suspended officers.
* **VVPAT Slips in Saran:**
* No incidents of discarded VVPAT slips came to the notice of the Election Commission in Saran District.
**Impact Analysis**
**Election Commission of India**
* **Impact:** Accountable for investigating alleged irregularities in the Bihar Assembly elections.
* **Action Required:** Address the disciplinary proceedings against the suspended Assistant Returning Officers and ensure no further irregularities happen.
**Assistant Returning Officers of 136-Sarairanjan AC**
* **Impact:** Face suspension and disciplinary proceedings.
* **Action Required:** Respond to the disciplinary proceedings and cooperate with the investigation.
**Candidates and Agents in Bihar Assembly Elections**
* **Impact:** Were to scrutinize documents and verify that VVPAT slips matched the EVM count in the elections.
* **Action Required:** No action required; the Election Commission has resolved the matter.
**Chief Electoral Officers Bihar**
* **Impact:** Were responsible for reporting any discrepancies related to the VVPAT slips.
* **Action Required:** No action required; the Election Commission has resolved the matter.
Key Entities Referenced
Election Commission of India: The primary agency responsible for the conduct of elections, mentioned in the context of receiving complaints and taking action on irregularities.
Bihar Assembly Elections: The specific elections under scrutiny regarding alleged irregularities.
Ministry of Law and Justice: The ministry responsible for answering the question regarding the election irregularities.
VVPAT: Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail - used in context of discarded/dumped slips and subsequent action.
Bihar: State where the reported election irregularities occurred.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE
LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1127
TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 05th DECEMBER, 2025
IRREGULARITIES IN BIHAR ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS
1127. Shri Anand Bhadauria:
Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:
(a) the details of complaints of irregularities in Bihar Assembly elections
2025 reported to Election Commission of India;
(b) the details of action taken by Election Commission of India thereon,
complaint-wise;
(c) whether VVPAT slips were found to be discarded/dumped in Bihar
assembly election in Samastipur and Saran; and
(d) if so, the details thereof and the details of action taken by Election
Commission against erring officials?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF
LAW AND JUSTICE; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS
(SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)
(a) and (b): The Election Commission of India has stated that scrutiny of
documents was conducted smoothly in all Assembly Constituencies (ACs)
by the Returning Officers in the presence of General Observers appointed
by the Commission and the candidates or their agents. After scrutiny, no
discrepancy/malpractice was found at any of the polling Stations and no2
re-poll was requested by any of the contesting candidates or their agents.
Mandatory verification of voter verifiable paper audit trails unit (VVPAT) slips
was done for five randomly selected polling stations per Assembly
Constituency and no discrepancy was found with the Electronic Voting
Machine (EVM) count anywhere. Further, no application for checking and
verification of EVMs was received from any of the losing candidates after
declaration of the results.
(c) and (d): The Election Commission has informed that with regard to
VVPAT slips in Samastipur, Chief Electoral Officers Bihar has reported that
some shredded and some unshredded VVPAT slips related to 136-
Sarairanjan AC were found discarded in the garbage near Kedar Sant
Ramashray High School, Sarairanjan, Samastipur on 08.11.2025, which
were related with Mock poll conducted during EVM commissioning. The
concerned Assistant Returning Officers (total 3) of 136-Sarairanjan AC
deputed for commissioning were suspended immediately and disciplinary
proceedings initiated. However, no such incident came to the notice of the
Election Commission in Saran District.
*******