A major security and administrative lapse has come to light in Jharkhand during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll. Three foreign nationals registered on the voter list of the Jamshedpur East assembly constituency were identified as citizens of Afghanistan following a detailed inquiry. Prompted by the findings during document verification, election officials issued notices, conducted a verification of their passports, and subsequently deleted all three names from the electoral roll.
Foreign Citizens Found Enrolled at Golmuri Polling Booth 286
According to election department records, the three Afghan nationals were registered under polling booth number 286, established at Hindustani Sangh School in Golmuri within the Jamshedpur East constituency. Notably, their names had successfully passed initial checks to be included in the draft voter list generated during the SIR process. The specific entry numbers on the electoral roll were as follows
- Asil Khan: Enrolled at serial number 30 in the voter list.
- Mohammad Aslam: Recorded at serial number 31 on the roll.
- Mohammad Ibrahim: Listed at serial number 33 in the registry.
The anomaly was flagged during the rigorous document audit stage of the revision drive. Election officials served formal notices to the three individuals, instructing them to produce mandatory documents confirming their Indian citizenship and voter eligibility. When they failed to submit satisfactory evidence within the stipulated framework, officials initiated a verification of their passports. The passport inspection conclusively confirmed their Afghan citizenship, leading to the immediate removal of their names from the voter registry.
SDO Arnav Mishra Orders Comprehensive Probe
The discovery of foreign nationals on an Indian electoral roll has raised serious questions regarding the scrutiny mechanisms in place during voter registration. Authorities are now investigating how these individuals managed to bypass initial verification steps and whether any local network assisted them.
To investigate the matter, Dhalbhum Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Arnav Mishra has constituted a dedicated inquiry committee. The investigation team will focus on several critical parameters
- Role of Local Networks: Determining whether any individual, agent, or organized syndicate facilitated the illegal inclusion of Afghan nationals in the electoral roll.
- Administrative Accountability: Assessing whether the inclusion resulted from clerical oversight and procedural laxity or represented a deliberate illegal attempt.
- Re-examination of Records: Re-auditing all physical and digital application forms and supporting documentation submitted during the current SIR exercise.
Senior election officials maintained that legal proceedings will be initiated against anyone found complicit once the inquiry panel submits its final findings. Officials reiterated their commitment to maintaining the integrity and accuracy of the voter list.
