Bihar Elections: FIR filed against Union Minister Lalan Singh over poll code violation

"The video footage of the video surveillance team was examined by the Patna District Administration. Following the investigation, in this case, an FIR has been registered against Shri Lalan Singh alias Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh under the relevant sections of the Indian Citizen Security Code and the Representation of the People Act," Patna district administration said in a social media post on X.

What did Lalan Singh say?

The controversy erupted after Lalan Singh was heard in a video telling JD(U) workers to stop opposition leaders from leaving their homes on polling day. “There are a few leaders don’t let them step out of their homes on polling day. Keep them inside,” Singh said in the clip.

He went on to add, “If they make a fuss, take them to vote and then send them home to rest.”

RJD accuses Singh of ‘bulldozing democracy’ 

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) shared the video on social media and accused Lalan Singh of undermining the Election Commission. RJD spokesperson Priyanka Bharti posted on X (formerly Twitter), questioning the poll body’s silence.

“Will you wake up and verify the authenticity of this video showing such strongman behavior?” she wrote.

Campaigning for jailed JD(U) candidate 

Lalan Singh made the remarks while campaigning for JD(U) candidate Anant Singh in Mokama. Anant Singh is currently in Beur Jail, facing charges related to the murder of Jan Suraaj supporter Dular Chand Yadav. During his campaign speech, Lalan Singh told the crowd, “We will not let the people of Mokama feel Anant Singh’s absence.”

Dular Chand Yadav, a campaigner for Jan Suraaj candidate Piyush Priyadarshi, was shot dead during a clash between political groups. Anant Singh and two others were arrested after a major police operation in rural Patna, involving over 150 personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces. They were later sent to 14 days of judicial custody.

Bihar Assembly Elections 2025

The Bihar Assembly Elections will be held in two phases, November 6 and 11, with results on November 14. In the 2020 elections, the BJP won 74 of 110 seats, while the JD(U) won 43 of 115 seats. The Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) secured four seats out of seven contested.