How Did 2 Pakistani Women Figure On Bihar Voter List? MHA Launches Probe

Patna: Amid the relentless attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI) and BJP by Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar has thrown up a surprise.

Two Pakistani women who came to India in the 1950s have been found in the Bihar voter list.

The duo, both residents of Bhagalpur, was verified in the SIR process before being identified as foreign nationals, News18 reported citing officials.

The embarrassing oversight has led to an investigation by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

The anomaly came to light when MHA officials were checking records of foreign nationals who had overstayed their visas.

The women in question were flagged during the SIR exercise, after which their names are being removed from the electoral rolls.

Booth Level Officer (BLO) Farzana Khanam, who carried out the verification, said she received official communication with passport details that matched the women’s documents. One of them was identified as Imrana Khanam.

“She was not in a condition to talk as she is old and unwell. Her passport dates back to 1956, and she was issued a visa in 1958. Following departmental instructions, I filled out the necessary forms and began the process of deleting her name,” Farzana told ANI.

Following the SIR process, the poll body has released an updated list of 65 lakh voters whose names have been deleted. This list was published following a Supreme Court order on August 14. The top court directed that district-wise lists of removed names be published, with reasons.

The list is accessible to the public on the Election Commission’s official website.

Voters can verify their names on the electoral roll through a new link on the Election Commission of Bihar’s website.