EC issues notice to Prashant Kishor over double voter registration in Bihar, West Bengal

NEW DELHI: Jan Suraaj Party chief Prashant Kishor was on Tuesday issued a notice by the electoral registration officer (ERO) of Kargahar assembly constituency in Sasaram, Bihar for reportedly being enrolled as an elector in both Bihar and West Bengal.

Referring to a news report stating that Kishore was enrolled in Kargahar, Bihar as well as Bhowanipore, West Bengal, the ERO asked him to furnish an explanation within three days, as to how he figured in the electoral roll of two different assembly constituencies and states.


Sources in the EC said that Kishor may have applied for registration as an elector in the second state by filling up Form 6, which is only meant for a new registrations. However, he should have applied through Form 8 (which pertains to shifted voters) since he was already enrolled elsewhere at the time. Form 8 allows the elector to simultaneously apply for deletion of his name from where he is already registered and get himself enrolled at his new place of residence.

The ERO notice sent to Kishor on Tuesday underlines that a person can be enrolled only in one assembly constituency as per Section 17 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. “Its violation attracts one year imprisonment and/or fine as per Section 31 or R P Act 1950,” it adds.

According to the newspaper report published on Tuesday, Kishor is enrolled as an elector at a polling station in Middle School, Konar in Kargahar AC in Sasaram district, Bihar as well as at a polling station at St Helen School, B Ranishankari Lane in Bhawanipore AC in West Bengal.

The ERO notice further shared that Kishor EPIC number as per the roll for Kargahar AC is IUI3123718.

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