Poll strategist Prashant Kishor is facing a formal inquiry from the Election Commission of India (ECI) concerning allegations of dual voter enrollment. The ECI has dispatched a showcause notice to Kishor, founder of the Jan Suraaj Party, after discovering his name listed on electoral rolls in both Bihar and West Bengal.
The notice from the Returning Officer of the Kargahar Assembly Constituency in Sasaram, Rohtas district, Bihar, details Kishor’s voter registration in that state. It specifies his enrollment under a particular part and polling booth, with EPIC number 1013123718.
However, the ECI’s investigation has also brought to light that Kishor’s name is allegedly on the voter list for the Bhabanipur Assembly Constituency in West Bengal. The polling station in question is reported to be at St. Helen School. This dual registration is a violation of election regulations.
This situation directly relates to Section 17 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, which clearly states that no person shall be eligible to be registered as a voter in more than one constituency. The notice further warns that such a breach could lead to punitive action under Section 31 of the Act, potentially carrying a jail term of up to one year, a fine, or both.
Kishor has been granted three days to provide a comprehensive explanation to the ECI, detailing the reasons behind his name appearing on two separate state electoral rolls. This development occurs during the ECI’s Special Intensive Revision of voter lists and precedes the eagerly awaited Bihar Assembly elections on November 6 and 11, with counting set for November 14. Kishor, currently in the midst of his Jan Suraaj Yatra across Bihar, has not yet offered any comments on the notice issued by the election authorities.