Protest, route and memorandum
The protest, organised by the Sanyukt Sarvdaliya Ekta Manch, began at Shaheed Chowk and passed through Shastri Chowk, Birsa Chowk and Rampur Chowk before culminating in a sit-in outside the office of Sub Divisional Officer (SDO) Suleman Mundari, where a memorandum seeking an inquiry into the alleged misuse was submitted, participants reported.
"Stop tampering with the voter list" and "Every voter has the right to be represented in a democracy," chanted demonstrators during the march.
Allegations and demands
Addressing the gathering, Ajit Pal Kujur, district president of the Congress ST Morcha, alleged that individuals associated with the BJP were filing Form 7 objections to seek deletion of Muslim and Christian voters from the rolls. Kujur named areas including Pahadkapu and Amwatoli as locations where such deletions were reportedly being pursued.
Another speaker, identified as Khajimuddin, said objections were being filed against people who continue to reside at their registered addresses and demanded a thorough investigation and legal action against those who submitted allegedly false objections. Protesters also urged authorities to verify every deletion request before taking any action.
Concerns about election officials
Demonstrators raised apprehensions about the role of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) during the revision process. Manina Kujur claimed that BLOs were being pressured to sign documents connected with Form 7 applications and sought safeguards to ensure that verification is carried out independently and impartially.
Official process and wider context
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has extended the deadline for claims and objections under the SIR process to 30 September, the protesters noted. As per state-level figures cited at the protest, Jharkhand had received 5,689 Form 7 objections up to 14 September, highlighting the scale of challenges the exercise has presented in the state.
| Item | Figure / Date |
|---|---|
| Form 7 objections received in Jharkhand (till) | 5,689 (as of 14 September) |
| EC deadline for SIR claims and objections | 30 September |
Legal and procedural points
Protest leaders pointed to what they said was a pattern of targeted deletions in minority-concentrated hamlets and demanded that each Form 7 objection be examined rigorously with independent verification at the polling-station level. They also sought clarity on the role and accountability of BLOs in the verification and certification process.
The demonstrators asked the district administration and the ECI to institute an independent probe into the specific cases cited from Pahadkapu, Amwatoli and other localities, and to suspend any deletions pending the outcome of such an inquiry.
Responses and next steps
At the time of the protest, SDO Suleman Mundari received the memorandum. Protesters said they would monitor whether action was initiated on the representations they had submitted and urged higher election authorities to ensure that the revision process does not disenfranchise genuine voters.
- Organisers: Sanyukt Sarvdaliya Ekta Manch.
- Key speakers at the protest: Ajit Pal Kujur, Khajimuddin, Manina Kujur.
- Main demand: Investigation into alleged misuse of Form 7 and safeguards for BLOs and voters.
The demonstration underscores rising tensions in parts of Jharkhand over the SIR exercise and the sensitivity around deletion and inclusion processes ahead of future electoral rolls updates. Protesters have sought swift administrative action and independent scrutiny to allay fears of partisan manipulation and to protect the voting rights of minority communities.
