Rs 10,000 disbursed to 10 lakh+ women under MMRY on Oct 17, 24, 31 (MCC from Oct 6; additional payout Nov 7 post-phase 1 polling; scheme covers 75 lakh beneficiaries.
Gehlot stated ECI remained silent despite opposition complaints; tied to Rahul Gandhi's "vote chori" allegations in multiple states
Two-phase polling Nov 6-11 with 67.13% turnout; NDA leads in 185/243 seats as of midday
Bihar Election: Ashok Gehlot Alleges Election Commission Inaction On Cash Distributions
Congress leader claims Rs 10,000 payments to women under state scheme violated Model Code of Conduct during polling period
Summary
Senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot stated that Rs 10,000 was distributed to over 10 lakh women voters in Bihar through the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana (MMRY) scheme on October 17, 24, and 31, dates within the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) period that began on October 6. An additional installment was scheduled for November 7, following the first phase of polling on November 6. Gehlot described the Election Commission of India (ECI) as a "mook darshak" (mute spectator) for not halting these transfers despite complaints from opposition parties including the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress.
The MMRY scheme, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 26, provides state-funded assistance to 75 lakh women. Gehlot linked the distributions to allegations of "vote chori" (vote theft) raised by Congress Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi in recent elections across Haryana, Maharashtra, and Bihar. He noted that the ECI took no action while the transfers occurred during the ongoing campaign, affecting a voter base of over 3.7 crore across 45,399 polling stations in the two-phase election held on November 6 and 11.
The ECI has previously faced questions from Gehlot on its impartiality, including the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar's voter lists in June-July 2025, which involved over 8 crore electors and was criticized for potential disenfranchisement of marginalized groups.
The Supreme Court in July 2025 observed that the ECI's authority in such exercises exceeded even judicial powers. Gehlot also referenced past ECI responses to opposition concerns in Maharashtra and Rajasthan, where similar complaints about institutional bias were raised
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