The Indus Zone Tech Desk | New Delhi, October 28, 2025 | “Arrest Me If It’s My Fault”: Prashant Kishor Challenges Election Commission
Poll strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor has found himself in the middle of a political storm after the Election Commission of India (ECI) issued him a notice over the alleged duplication of his name in voter lists of Bihar and West Bengal.
The Commission, acting on a report published by The Indian Express, has asked Kishor to explain how his name appeared in two constituencies. The ECI’s notice cites Section 17 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, which clearly states that a person cannot be registered as a voter in more than one constituency. Violating this rule could lead to fines or imprisonment under Section 31 of the same Act.
The ECI has asked Kishor to provide a written explanation within three days.
Prashant Kishor’s Strong Response
Reacting sharply to the notice, Kishor questioned the Election Commission’s accountability and challenged it to arrest him if he was truly at fault.
“If my name appears in two voter lists, then the Election Commission should answer why it wasn’t deleted during the SIR (Special Intensive Revision) in Bihar. My name has been in Karakat since 2019. I went to Bengal for two years and was a voter there temporarily. If it’s my fault, arrest me,” said Kishor.
According to the ECI, Kishor’s name exists both in Bihar’s Karakat Assembly Constituency and West Bengal’s Maniktala Assembly Constituency, under the North Kolkata Parliamentary seat.
His address in Kolkata — 121 Kalighat Road — reportedly corresponds to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) office in Bhabanipur, the constituency of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, where Kishor served as a campaign advisor during the 2021 Bengal Assembly elections.
Election Commission’s Stand and the SIR Exercise
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists is being carried out by the ECI to identify and correct duplication or errors in electoral rolls. However, the move has sparked political controversy across several states.
Opposition parties, including the Congress, have criticized the SIR process, calling it a “ploy to disenfranchise voters”. They allege that the exercise is being used to manipulate the voter database in favor of the ruling BJP-led NDA government.
Congress leaders claim that the poor and marginalized voters—who often support the opposition—will be most affected by the revision. The BJP and the Election Commission, however, have dismissed these allegations, calling them baseless and politically motivated.
Prashant Kishor Attack on BJP and the SIR Drive
During a media interaction following the ECI notice, Prashant Kishor took aim at both the BJP and the ongoing SIR exercise.
“SIR was already done in Bihar. What changed? Did anyone’s name really get removed? Some people faced trouble, yes, but this won’t help the BJP. You can delete names or intimidate voters, but if people turn against you, no amount of SIR or FIR will save you,” he remarked.
Kishor’s statement has further intensified the political debate ahead of upcoming elections, highlighting the growing tension between the Election Commission and political leaders over voter roll transparency.
What’s Next
With the Election Commission’s three-day deadline looming, political observers are keenly watching how Kishor responds formally to the notice. The incident has reignited discussions around voter data integrity, electoral accountability, and political interference in India’s democratic processes.
As both sides trade accusations, one thing is clear — the issue of dual voter entries has once again exposed the complex relationship between India’s election machinery and its political stakeholders.
