ECI orders probe after BJP leader Sukanta Majumdar’s wife found registered in two constituencies

BALURGHAT: A controversy has erupted in Bengal involving BJP state president and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar. Allegations have surfaced that his wife, Koel Majumdar, is registered as a voter in two separate constituencies — Jalpaiguri and Balurghat. Following a formal plaint, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered a probe into the matter.

The issue came to light after a woman named Paromita Das filed a complaint with the Election Commission in Delhi, claiming Koel’s name appeared in both the Jalpaiguri and South Dinajpur voter rolls, with separate EPIC numbers. The Commission has since sought an explanation and investigation reports from the District Election Officers (DEOs) of both districts within seven days.

Sukanta Majumdar, however, has denied any wrongdoing. Speaking to the media, he said his wife had applied to remove her name from the Jalpaiguri list after their marriage when she shifted her residence to Balurghat. He stated: “My wife lived in Jalpaiguri before marriage and applied for a voter transfer post-marriage. If her name still appears in the previous list, it’s the responsibility of the administration.”

He also accused the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) of trying to politicise the issue. “Anticipating such misuse, I had already ensured my wife applied for deletion from the old constituency,” Majumdar claimed, producing a letter allegedly sent to the Jalpaiguri electoral office.

Countering these claims, Subhas Chaki, assistant president of the South Dinajpur TMC committee, alleged that Majumdar was misusing his political influence. “He’s trying to cover up the irregularity by claiming last-minute deletion requests,” Chaki said.

Reports indicate that Koel is listed as “Koel Chowdhury” in Jalpaiguri (her maiden name) and as “Koel Majumdar” in Balurghat. It is suspected she filled out Form 6 instead of Form 8 during the change of address, which may have caused the dual registration. District Magistrate of South Dinajpur, Bijin Krishna, confirmed an investigation is underway and that a report will be submitted to the Election Commission soon.