Himalaya Harbinger, Rudrapur Bureau
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday issued a notice to Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor for allegedly being enrolled as a voter in both Bihar and West Bengal.
According to a report in The Indian Express, Prashant Kishor’s name appears in the electoral rolls of West Bengal and Bihar. The poll strategist-turned-politician, whose party is contesting the Bihar assembly election, is listed at 121 Kalighat Road in Kolkata, the address of the Trinamool Congress office in chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s Bhabanipur constituency.
Citing the report, the ECI said in its notice that Kishor’s name was registered in the voter list of ‘Nirmal Hriday School, Beadon Street, Kolkata’ and “also in 209–Karahgar Assembly Constituency (Part No. 767, Serial No. 621) in Bihar, with voter ID IUJ1323718.”
The poll panel reminded that under Section 17 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, a person cannot be registered as a voter in more than one constituency. Violation of this rule is punishable under Section 31 of the same Act.
You are requested to clarify within three days regarding your name being registered in more than one constituency,” the notice to Kishore said.
What is the issue?
According to The Indian Express report, in Bihar, Prashant Kishor is registered as a voter under the Sasaram Parliamentary constituency in the Kargahar assembly constituency. His polling station is Madhya Vidyalay, Konar, under the Rohtas district. Konar is Kishor’s paternal village.
It is to be noted that Kishor had worked with the Trinamool Congress as a political consultant during the 2021 assembly election in Bengal. His polling station is listed as St Helen School on B Ranishankari Lane.
