Tej Pratap's party candidate's Bihar bypoll nomination rejected: What does law say
Veena Manvi, the JJD candidate for Bankipur bypoll, was disqualified after her nomination failed to meet the mandatory requirement of 10 valid proposers for candidates of unrecognised parties.
The nomination of Veena Manvi, the candidate of Tej Pratap Yadav's Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD) for the July 30 Bankipur Assembly by-election in Bihar, was rejected during scrutiny after election officials found that her nomination papers did not meet the mandatory proposer requirement prescribed under election law.
According to officials, Manvi's nomination paper contained only nine valid proposers, falling short of the minimum requirement of 10 proposers applicable to candidates contesting as independents or representing unrecognised political parties. Based on this deficiency, the Returning Officer rejected her nomination.
The development has drawn attention to a key provision of India's election law governing the nomination of candidates. The Bankipur bypoll has meanwhile emerged as a high-stakes contest, with Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor and BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha among the principal contenders.
WHAT DOES THE LAW SAY?
Under the Representation of the People Act and Election Commission rules, candidates fielded by recognised national or state political parties require the signature of only one proposer while filing nomination papers.
However, candidates contesting as independents or those representing unrecognised political parties must secure the signatures of at least 10 proposers. All proposers must be registered voters of the constituency from which the candidate is contesting.
In the case of the Bankipur Assembly constituency, all 10 proposers were required to be voters registered in Bankipur.
Election officials said scrutiny revealed that only nine of Manvi's proposers were found valid, rendering her nomination invalid under the prescribed rules.
WHO IS A PROPOSER?
A proposer is an elector who endorses a candidate's nomination by signing the nomination paper. The requirement of multiple proposers for independent and unrecognised party candidates is intended to demonstrate a minimum level of local support before a candidate is allowed to contest.
The provision is also aimed at discouraging non-serious candidates and ensuring that nominations meet basic legal requirements before being accepted by election authorities.
Since Manvi's nomination failed to satisfy the mandatory 10-proposer condition, officials said the Returning Officer had no option but to reject it in accordance with election rules.
MANVI'S ARREST JUST AFTER FILING NOMINATION
The JJD candidate Manvi had already found herself at the centre of another controversy after being arrested shortly after filing her nomination papers.
Patna SP (Central) Mamta Kalyani said police executed a pending warrant against her in a forgery case. The JJD, however, alleged that the arrest was politically motivated.
Party chief Ashok Yadav termed the action a "conspiracy" by the government and claimed that Manvi was being targeted because she was in a strong position in the election. He also said the party would challenge the case in court.
HIGH-PROFILE CONTEST IN BANKIPUR
The Bankipur bypoll has drawn significant political attention, with Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor and BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha filing their nominations earlier this week.
Kishor, making his electoral debut, described his nomination as a call for political change in Bihar and has projected the by-election as a referendum on the NDA government led by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary.
The BJP has fielded 32-year-old Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha leader Neeraj Kumar Sinha after the party's earlier candidate, Abhishek Kumar alias Bunty, withdrew from the contest citing family reasons. Senior BJP leaders, including MP Ravi Shankar Prasad and state BJP president Sanjay Saraogi, accompanied Sinha during the nomination process.
RJD candidate Rekha Kumari, who finished runner-up from the constituency in the 2025 Assembly election, has also entered the fray.
The nomination of Veena Manvi, the candidate of Tej Pratap Yadav's Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD) for the July 30 Bankipur Assembly by-election in Bihar, was rejected during scrutiny after election officials found that her nomination papers did not meet the mandatory proposer requirement prescribed under election law.
According to officials, Manvi's nomination paper contained only nine valid proposers, falling short of the minimum requirement of 10 proposers applicable to candidates contesting as independents or representing unrecognised political parties. Based on this deficiency, the Returning Officer rejected her nomination.
The development has drawn attention to a key provision of India's election law governing the nomination of candidates. The Bankipur bypoll has meanwhile emerged as a high-stakes contest, with Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor and BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha among the principal contenders.
WHAT DOES THE LAW SAY?
Under the Representation of the People Act and Election Commission rules, candidates fielded by recognised national or state political parties require the signature of only one proposer while filing nomination papers.
However, candidates contesting as independents or those representing unrecognised political parties must secure the signatures of at least 10 proposers. All proposers must be registered voters of the constituency from which the candidate is contesting.
In the case of the Bankipur Assembly constituency, all 10 proposers were required to be voters registered in Bankipur.
Election officials said scrutiny revealed that only nine of Manvi's proposers were found valid, rendering her nomination invalid under the prescribed rules.
WHO IS A PROPOSER?
A proposer is an elector who endorses a candidate's nomination by signing the nomination paper. The requirement of multiple proposers for independent and unrecognised party candidates is intended to demonstrate a minimum level of local support before a candidate is allowed to contest.
The provision is also aimed at discouraging non-serious candidates and ensuring that nominations meet basic legal requirements before being accepted by election authorities.
Since Manvi's nomination failed to satisfy the mandatory 10-proposer condition, officials said the Returning Officer had no option but to reject it in accordance with election rules.
MANVI'S ARREST JUST AFTER FILING NOMINATION
The JJD candidate Manvi had already found herself at the centre of another controversy after being arrested shortly after filing her nomination papers.
Patna SP (Central) Mamta Kalyani said police executed a pending warrant against her in a forgery case. The JJD, however, alleged that the arrest was politically motivated.
Party chief Ashok Yadav termed the action a "conspiracy" by the government and claimed that Manvi was being targeted because she was in a strong position in the election. He also said the party would challenge the case in court.
HIGH-PROFILE CONTEST IN BANKIPUR
The Bankipur bypoll has drawn significant political attention, with Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor and BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha filing their nominations earlier this week.
Kishor, making his electoral debut, described his nomination as a call for political change in Bihar and has projected the by-election as a referendum on the NDA government led by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary.
The BJP has fielded 32-year-old Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha leader Neeraj Kumar Sinha after the party's earlier candidate, Abhishek Kumar alias Bunty, withdrew from the contest citing family reasons. Senior BJP leaders, including MP Ravi Shankar Prasad and state BJP president Sanjay Saraogi, accompanied Sinha during the nomination process.
RJD candidate Rekha Kumari, who finished runner-up from the constituency in the 2025 Assembly election, has also entered the fray.
