Bihar Assembly Election 2025: Bihar assembly elections are near. A common question arising amid political rallies and campaigning is whether a registered voter of Delhi can contest Lok Sabha elections from any other state like Haryana or Maharashtra or not. Let us know what is the answer to this question and what are the rules.

Legal basis for contesting elections from another state

Under Section 4(C), 4(CC) and 4(CCC) of the Representation of the People Act 1951, you get the right to contest elections across India, no matter where you are registered as a voter. These sections determine the qualifications required to become a member of Parliament. According to the law, a citizen who is a registered voter anywhere in India can file nomination for Lok Sabha from any constituency. However, the rules are slightly different for state assembly elections.

Eligibility to contest Lok Sabha elections

To contest Lok Sabha elections, certain conditions have to be fulfilled. The candidate must be an Indian citizen, must be at least 25 years of age at the time of filing nomination papers, and must be a registered voter of any Indian constituency. Let us tell you that it is not necessary for the voter to belong to the same constituency or state from where he is contesting the election.

Any candidate can stand in the elections as a member of any recognized political party or as an independent candidate. However, independent candidates have to submit nomination papers supported by the required number of voters of the concerned constituency as per the guidelines of the Election Commission.

contesting state assembly elections

The rules for contesting state assembly elections are different. For this, the person should be a registered voter of the state from where he wants to contest elections.

Disqualifications for contesting elections

Although the right to contest elections is a constitutional privilege, certain disqualifications may prevent a person from exercising it. Any person declared mentally ill by a competent court or a bankrupt without any guilt cannot contest elections. Similarly, persons who have voluntarily acquired foreign citizenship or have held office of profit under the government are also not eligible to contest elections.

Additionally, candidates convicted of criminal offenses and sentenced to imprisonment for 2 years or more are disqualified for 6 years after their release.

Also read: What is the maximum number of votes that can be cast in EVM, know what is the limit

Bihar Assembly Election 2025: Amidst the Bihar Assembly elections, the troubles of Union Minister and Janata Dal United leader Lalan Singh are showing no sign of stopping. The Election Commission has issued him a notice for violation of the Model Code of Conduct. Along with this, the Commission has given 24 hours time to Lalan Singh to reply to the notice. In fact, Lalan Singh, who is campaigning for Anant Singh in Mokama, is allegedly heard saying in a video that ‘He is a leader, he is not allowed to leave the house on the day of voting. Have to pack it at home, if you add too much hands and legs, then take it with you and let the vote fall. In the meantime, let us know what action the Election Commission can take in such a case.

violation of code of conduct

The code of conduct is enforced by the Election Commission to ensure free and fair elections. Any attempt to threaten, influence or put pressure on voters is considered a corrupt practice under the code of conduct. In such a case, the Election Commission first seeks clarification from the accused leader or candidate and issues a notice. If no satisfactory reply is received by the candidate or the accused leader, the Election Commission can initiate disciplinary and legal action. Along with this, the Commission can also issue warnings, impose restrictions on campaigning, or in serious cases, disqualify candidates found guilty of misconduct.

provisions of the Indian Judicial Code

Voter intimidation is a criminal offense under the Indian Judicial Code. In this, Section 174 of the Indian New Code refers to undue influence and Section 351 classifies criminal intimidation. Under Section 174, whoever exerts undue influence or impersonates in an election can be punished with imprisonment of up to one year, or with fine, or with both. Along with this, in Section 351, if the threat is to harm a person’s body, reputation or property, then there is a provision of imprisonment of up to 2 years, fine or both. If the threat is serious enough, such as causing death or serious injury, the punishment can be up to 7 years and the fine can also increase.

powers of election commission

The Election Commission of India has many powers under Article 324 of the Constitution to strengthen the fairness of elections. In such cases, the Commission can ban leaders from campaigning for a certain period. Along with this, if information about threat is received then voting in the affected polling centers can be suspended or canceled.

If anyone is found guilty of using illegal means to influence voters, then a recommendation can be made to disqualify a candidate under the Representation of the People Act 1951. Along with this, the Representation of the People Act 1951 clearly defines corrupt practices like bribery, undue influence and intimidation of voters. These offenses are very serious, resulting not only in disqualification but also criminal prosecution.

Also read: What is the maximum number of votes that can be cast in EVM, know what is the limit