The Form-7 applications were reportedly submitted by a person named “Pran.” Soon after the matter came to light, Congress leaders held a protest on Wednesday and demanded a probe. Led by former district Congress president Vijay Kesharwani, affected voters met the District Collector and sought an investigation into the issue.
What Happened?
The incident relates to polling booths 191, 192, and 193 in wards 55–56 of Chantidih, a predominantly Muslim area. Form-7 applications were filed to remove:
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10 voters from booth 191
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15 voters from booth 192
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92 voters from booth 193
Following the submission, the Booth Level Officer (BLO) conducted verification at the addresses. The investigation found that all the voters were present at their homes and none were deceased. The BLO recorded photographs, collected documents again, and submitted a report to higher officials.
The irregularity was later brought to the notice of Congress leaders, and the matter escalated politically. Congress claimed that the act was a deliberate attempt to target Muslim voters and those supporting the party.
Congress Alleges Targeting of Supporters
Former district Congress president Vijay Kesharwani said that the initial voter list was published after document verification under the SIR (Special Summary Revision) process. Applications for adding, deleting, or transferring names were accepted until January 23.
He said it was suspicious that 117 Form-7 applications suddenly appeared from three booths. The complaints alleged that the voters did not reside in the area, but verification proved the claim false. Kesharwani alleged that all targeted voters belong to the Muslim community and are known to support Congress.
He further said that complaints are coming from multiple areas in the district that BJP workers are attempting to remove names of minority and Congress-supporting voters. He also claimed that some BLOs are being pressured to accept the forms and threatened with action if they refuse.
Why This Is Controversial
Kesharwani questioned the need for Form-7 submissions when physical verification had already been conducted during the SIR process and voters were found to be present. He alleged that the SIR process is being misused to remove names of Congress supporters, minorities, and party workers.
Suspicion of Fake Identity
Kesharwani claimed that the Form-7 applications were submitted by a person named “Pran,” whose identity might be fake.
Election Office Response
When asked who submitted the forms, Election Registration Officer Shiv Kumar Kanwar did not provide details. He said the complaint was received and an investigation was carried out. Since physical verification confirmed the presence of voters, no further action has been taken.
