Supreme Court’s sarcastic remark : In Bihar, having a criminal case is a prerequisite to become a village head

New Delhi – The Supreme Court made a sarcastic remark during a hearing on an anticipatory bail plea filed by a village head from Bihar, stating, “In Bihar, it seems having a criminal case is a must to become a village or panchayat head.”

Supreme Court's sarcastic remark on Bihar, 'If you don’t have criminal cases, you are not eligible to be a Mukhiya (leader) in Bihar'

This remark by the Supreme Court reveals the flaws in the Indian democratic system. The current situation is such that it is next to impossible… pic.twitter.com/GYpaHJ3mqM

— Sanatan Prabhat (@SanatanPrabhat) March 28, 2025

1. The Bench asked the petitioner’s lawyer if any other criminal cases were pending against their client besides the one in question. Upon the lawyer’s response that there were indeed multiple cases registered, she explained that these cases stemmed from local political rivalry.

2. The Court commented that it has now become routine in Bihar for village or panchayat heads to have criminal cases against them. In fact, it quipped that someone without a case would be considered unfit to be elected as a village head.

3. The lawyer argued that her client had been falsely implicated and was only seeking anticipatory bail. However, the Court rejected the plea, stating that the petitioner must first appear before the Police and submit his statement.

Editorial perspective

This observation highlights the deep-rooted flaws in India’s democratic system. No political party is willing to change this state of affairs, because in today’s scenario, unless one has a criminal background, it is nearly impossible to enter or survive in politics.