JAMSHEDPUR: The ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Jamshedpur has revealed that the names of three Afghan nationals were included in the draft voter list for the Jamshedpur East Assembly constituency, officials said on Wednesday.
Verification raised discrepancies
Sub-Divisional Officer Arnab Mishra said discrepancies emerged during document verification of the draft rolls. The individuals were identified as Asil Khan, Mohammad Aslam and Mohammad Ibrahim, listed at serial numbers 30, 31 and 33 for polling station number 286 in Jamshedpur East.
Following routine checks, the District Election Officer issued notices to the three to produce supporting documents. When they did not submit the required paperwork, their passports were examined and found to confirm Afghan citizenship, the officials said.
Election authorities initiate probe
The Election Commission has opened an inquiry to establish how the foreign nationals' names appeared on the electoral roll and to identify any individuals who might have facilitated the inclusion, according to officials. Legal action will be considered if the probe finds wrongdoing.
Election roll revision exercises are intended to update and purify the voter list by removing ineligible entries and adding eligible voters. The SIR was underway in Jamshedpur when the three names were detected during the verification stage after their names had already been included in the draft roll, officials said.
What officials say
- SDO Arnab Mishra reported discrepancies in documents during verification.
- The District Election Officer issued notices; passports were later checked confirming Afghan nationality.
- The Election Commission is investigating possible assistance provided to include the names.
Authorities did not provide further details on whether the individuals were resident in India or on what basis their names were initially accepted into the draft roll. Officials also did not indicate whether additional names are being scrutinised in the same polling station or constituency beyond the three identified.
Legal and administrative process
Under electoral law, only Indian citizens who are 18 years or older and meet prescribed residency criteria are eligible to be enrolled as voters. Inclusion of ineligible names can lead to administrative correction of the rolls and, if deliberate misrepresentation is established, criminal proceedings under relevant provisions of the Representation of the People Act and the Indian Penal Code, officials said.
The SIR aims to detect and rectify inaccuracies such as duplicate entries, names of deceased electors and entries of ineligible persons. The detection in Jamshedpur highlights procedural checks built into the revision exercise, while also raising questions about vulnerabilities in the enrolment process.
Local implications
Jamshedpur East is a high‑profile Assembly constituency in the Steel City, and the composition of electoral rolls has both administrative and political implications ahead of future polls. Even though the incident concerns a small number of entries, it has prompted swift administrative action because maintaining accurate rolls is central to free and fair elections.
Election officials said the investigation will determine whether the entries resulted from clerical error, forged documents, incorrect verification or collusion. Depending on findings, the case may be referred for prosecution and administrative sanctions against those responsible for processing the entries.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Constituency | Jamshedpur East Assembly constituency |
| Polling station | Number 286 |
| Names on roll | Asil Khan; Mohammad Aslam; Mohammad Ibrahim |
| Serial numbers | 30, 31, 33 |
Election officials underlined that the SIR procedure itself was responsible for catching the discrepancy. The commission's inquiry will focus on the enrolment chain — from initial application to final inclusion — to ensure similar anomalies do not recur.
As the probe proceeds, the election administration has conserved the entries in question as part of the inquiry and said further updates will be issued once the investigation clarifies the circumstances and any action taken.
