Poll strategist Prashant Kishor is under scrutiny by the Election Commission of India (ECI) following the discovery of his name appearing on electoral rolls in two different states. The ECI has issued a showcause notice to Kishor, founder of the Jan Suraaj Party, alleging dual voter enrollment. Evidence suggests his name is listed in both Bihar and West Bengal.
Specifically, the notice, originating from the Returning Officer of Kargahar Assembly Constituency in Bihar’s Rohtas district, states Kishor is registered as a voter in Sasaram. His details are listed under Part 367 at a polling booth in Konar, identified by EPIC number 1013123718.
Concurrently, reports indicate his name is also present on the voter list for the Bhabanipur Assembly Constituency in West Bengal, with the polling station situated at St. Helen School. This situation directly contravenes electoral laws.
The ECI’s notice cites Section 17 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, which strictly prohibits an individual from being registered as a voter in more than one constituency. Failure to comply with this regulation can lead to penalties under Section 31 of the same Act, potentially involving imprisonment up to a year, a fine, or both.
Kishor has been given a three-day deadline to provide a detailed explanation to the ECI, clarifying the circumstances that led to his dual voter registration. This notice arrives during the ECI’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and shortly before the crucial Bihar Assembly elections, scheduled for November 6 and 11, with results to be declared on November 14. Kishor, who is currently engaged in his Jan Suraaj Yatra across Bihar, has not yet issued a public statement regarding the ECI’s notice.