The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday sent a notice to Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor. It said Kishor is enrolled as a voter in two states — Bihar and West Bengal.

The Indian Express reported that Kishor’s name appears in both voter lists. In West Bengal, his address is 121 Kalighat Road, Kolkata — the Trinamool Congress office in Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Bhabanipur constituency.

Poll Body Flags Dual Voter Entries

The ECI cited the newspaper report and listed both entries. It said Kishor’s name appears in the rolls of Nirmal Hriday School, Beadon Street, Kolkata, and also in Kargahar Assembly Constituency in Bihar’s Rohtas district. His Bihar voter ID is IUJ1323718.

The poll body reminded Kishor that Section 17 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, bars anyone from being registered in more than one constituency. It also warned that breaking this rule is a punishable offence under Section 31.

The ECI asked Kishor to reply within three days.
“You are requested to clarify within three days regarding your name being registered in more than one constituency,” the notice read.

Kishor’s Voter Record in Bihar and Bengal

In Bihar, Kishor is registered under the Sasaram Parliamentary seat in the Kargahar Assembly segment. His polling station is Madhya Vidyalay, Konar, located in his paternal village in Rohtas district.

In West Bengal, his voter registration is linked to St Helen School on B Ranishankari Lane in Bhabanipur.

Kishor Worked with TMC Earlier

Kishor earlier worked with the Trinamool Congress as a political consultant during the 2021 Bengal Assembly election.

A senior member of his team said Kishor became a voter in Bihar after the Bengal polls. The member added that Kishor has already applied to cancel his Bengal voter card, but the status of the application is not known.

Bihar’s Chief Electoral Officer Vinod Singh Gunjiyal did not comment on the issue, the report said.

TMC Councillor Reacts

Kajari Banerjee, TMC councillor of ward 73 and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s sister-in-law, confirmed that 121 Kalighat Road is the Trinamool office. “He (Kishor) used to visit and stay in that building (during his work with the TMC). I am not sure whether he enrolled (as a voter) from here or not,” she told The Indian Express.

Next Steps

The ECI is now waiting for Kishor’s explanation. If the allegation holds true, he could face punishment under the Representation of the People Act.

The controversy has emerged just as Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party prepares for the Bihar Assembly election.