Chandra Kumar Bose, great-grandson of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, has been summoned by the Election Commission of India (ECI) for a hearing in connection with the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, triggering a fresh round of controversy and political debate.
The notice led to widespread speculation over whether a member of Netaji’s family would also be required to prove Indian citizenship, with the issue quickly gaining traction on social media. Amid mounting pressure and criticism, the Commission issued a clarification explaining the reasons behind the summons.
According to the Commission, the notice was issued as part of routine procedure under the SIR process. In the first phase, booth-level officers distribute enumeration forms to voters, which are filled in and returned. Based on these forms, a draft voter list is prepared. If discrepancies, omissions, or factual inconsistencies are found in any form, the concerned voter is issued a notice for a hearing to verify details.
“Bose was summoned because the ‘linkage’ section of his enumeration form had been left blank. This section requires voters to indicate whether their name appeared on the 2002 electoral roll. If so, they are required to provide details of family members or close relatives listed in the voter database. Since this information was missing, the hearing notice was issued,” said an official of the Commission.
Bose had joined the BJP in 2026 and contested twice, in 2016 Assembly elections and 2019 Lok Sabha polls, but he filed to secure victory. In 2013, he resigned saying the promise of propagating the nationalist leader’s vision was not fulfilled by the party.
Responding to the controversy, the Commission stressed that there are no special provisions or exceptions for any individual, irrespective of their background or lineage. “All voters are equal under the law,” the official said, adding that the notice was purely procedural and unrelated to questions of citizenship.
The incident is not an isolated one. In recent months, similar notices were issued to prominent figures such as Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, actor and TMC MP Dev, and Indian cricketer Mohammed Shami. The ruling TMC in West Bengal has repeatedly accused the Commission and the BJP of selectively targeting voters through the SIR exercise.
Against this backdrop, the hearing notice issued to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s great-grandson has added fresh fuel to an already simmering debate over the voter list revision exercise and the manner in which it is being conducted.
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