- The Election Commission has removed the names from the list
- An investigation is being carried out
- The BJP has targeted the Jharkhand government over the issue
The names of three Afghan nationals have been found on the electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in Jharkhand, triggering a controversy and attacks from the opposition.
Officials said the names of the three Afghanistani men - Asil Khan, Mohammad Aslam, and Mohammad Ibrahim - were found on the electoral roll for polling station number 286 in the Jamshedpur East Assembly constituency. Their names appeared under serial numbers 30, 31, and 33.
The Election Commission has removed the names from the list and issued instructions to investigate the matter thoroughly and take legal action against those responsible.
Speaking to NDTV, Jharkhand's Chief Electoral Officer K Ravi Kumar said the inclusion of foreigners in the voter list is a serious matter. Kumar added that an investigation has been initiated and the focus will be on who assisted the men and through what process their names were added to the voter list. "Criminal action will be taken against anyone found involved," he asserted.
The Deputy Commissioner (DC) and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Jamshedpur have been directed to conduct the investigation.
"Investigative agencies are working to determine how the three names were included in the voter list and whether any individual or network played a role in the process," said an official.
This incident has raised questions about the procedures adopted for adding names to the voter list and document verification. The investigation will also examine whether the three men were the only foreigners on the electoral rolls.
Targeting the JMM-Congress government in Jharkhand over the issue, BJP state spokesperson Sandeep Verma said the party has consistently maintained that attempts are being made to include the names of Bangladeshi infiltrators in the electoral rolls for the sake of vote-bank politics. Verma also demanded strict action against those responsible.
