📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Kartik chauhandehra
Politics
Three Afghan Names Discovered on Jharkhand Voter List During SIR Review
✍️ ndtv.com
🗓 10 Sep 2026, 03:03 AM
👁 47
A recent Systematic Integrity Review of Jharkhand’s electoral roll uncovered the names of three Afghan nationals, raising concerns over voter list accuracy.
A Systematic Integrity Review (SIR) of the Jharkhand electoral roll has revealed the presence of three individuals identified as Afghan nationals on the state’s voter list. The finding was reported by the Election Commission of India’s Jharkhand office during a routine verification exercise aimed at cleaning up duplicate and ineligible entries.
Election officials said the names appeared in the database without any supporting Indian citizenship documentation, which is a mandatory requirement for voter registration. The commission has initiated a verification process to confirm the identities and eligibility of the listed persons, and to remove any entries that do not meet legal criteria.
The discovery has prompted calls for stricter scrutiny of voter rolls across the country, especially ahead of upcoming state and national elections. While no immediate legal action has been taken, the commission warned that any fraudulent registration could lead to penalties under the Representation of the People Act.
Stakeholders, including political parties and civil‑society groups, have urged the authorities to ensure that the electoral roll remains free of foreign nationals, emphasizing the importance of maintaining public confidence in the democratic process.
The Jharkhand Election Commission has not disclosed the specific constituencies where the names were found, citing procedural confidentiality, but affirmed that corrective measures will be completed before the next electoral cycle.
Election officials said the names appeared in the database without any supporting Indian citizenship documentation, which is a mandatory requirement for voter registration. The commission has initiated a verification process to confirm the identities and eligibility of the listed persons, and to remove any entries that do not meet legal criteria.
The discovery has prompted calls for stricter scrutiny of voter rolls across the country, especially ahead of upcoming state and national elections. While no immediate legal action has been taken, the commission warned that any fraudulent registration could lead to penalties under the Representation of the People Act.
Stakeholders, including political parties and civil‑society groups, have urged the authorities to ensure that the electoral roll remains free of foreign nationals, emphasizing the importance of maintaining public confidence in the democratic process.
The Jharkhand Election Commission has not disclosed the specific constituencies where the names were found, citing procedural confidentiality, but affirmed that corrective measures will be completed before the next electoral cycle.