Moradabad Woman Booked for Seeking Two Voter ID Under Different Names

An incident regarding the alleged use of two names by a female voter to acquire two Voter IDs has been recorded in the Moradabad district of Uttar Pradesh. This situation was revealed amidst the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) efforts, which are being conducted in preparation for the upcoming elections, and allow the Election Commission to review and update electoral rolls prior to their release.

As per police sources, this incident is related to Moradabad Rural Legislative Assembly. Superintendent of Police Satpal Antil confirmed that the FIR has been filed at the Kotwali Police Station under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act for providing false basic data.

How the Alleged Irregularity Was Detected

According to authorities, Shamim Jahan is the suspect in an alleged case involving her completing October 2023 two SIR submissions at one polling place under two different identities. Both applications were filed by the same individual with paperwork documenting her identity. One application was entered under Shamim Jahan's name; the other application was being entered under the forged name of Amina Bano. The fact that both applications had the same Aadhar number and image immediately caused the greatest concerns of fraud.

The alleged fraudulent actions of Shamim Jahan and Amina Bano were discovered while officers entered data about voters into computer systems (digitizing) by officers who make the determination of valid applications based upon the data within the application documents. After entering the information from Shamim Jahan and Amina Bano's applications, the Booth Officers found identical biometric data and identification numbers for both applications, and the issue was then escalated to their direct supervisors who oversee SIR processing.

Role of Family Member Under Scanner

Preliminary verification showed the online mapping and uploading of application forms had (allegedly) been performed by her child, Mohammad Raheesh. Officials are now investigating if it was an act of intent or if the procedure used for the revision process was abused.

The election authority has designed the SIR process to identify these types of errors. The SIR process aims to enhance the integrity of voter ID numbers by preventing voters from having multiple ID numbers.

Administrative Action and FIR

According to the results of an internal investigation, the issue has been referred to the District Election Officer. The Magistrate of Moradabad District Anuj Singh has directed registration of a formal complaint in order for them to be able to complete a thorough investigation into this matter. Police have confirmed there is an open investigation into the case involving false declarations regarding electoral documents.

Officials have reiterated that trying to obtain multiple voter ID cards or falsifying information is a criminal offence and will be subject to penalties, including monetary fines and incarceration, as determined by the final report and outcome of the investigation.

Similar Case Reported in Rampur

Authorities have received additional complaints of a female engaging in similar activities within Rampur district, as well as accusations of supplying incorrect information on her SIR form and allegedly falsifying another individual's signature. In this case, the female refutes those claims, stating that she followed the instructions of her Booth Level Officer.

The Election Authorities are reviewing the details in the matter separately so it can be decided if the female failed to follow procedures or knowingly misrepresented herself.

Why Voter ID Verification Matters

The Election Commission has emphasized the need for an accurate system of issuing voter identification to ensure that elections are held in an atmosphere of free and fair competition. A large part of the Commission's efforts to achieve its goals includes the Special Intensive Revision process which has been established to purge the voter rolls of duplicate or erroneous registrations and to guarantee that every registered citizen is entitled to receive only one valid voter identification card. 

The officials responsible for overseeing this process will continue to stress the importance of strict controls being implemented and that any attempts to alter the records will be treated with the utmost seriousness.

What will Happen Next?

An investigation has begun into the circumstances surrounding this incident, with police attempting to gather the necessary statements from the suspect, her family and friends, the election officials responsible for verifying her application, and all electronic material associated with the creation and processing of the duplicate applications for voter ID cards. 

As law enforcement agencies continue to increase their level of scrutiny due to the results of the SIR review, this situation highlights the continuing need for compliance with both federal and state election laws regarding the issuance of voter ID cards and other legal documents. 

Election officials urge every citizen to complete an application for a voter ID card using complete and accurate information and to cooperate fully with election officials during the application review process in order to maintain the integrity of our country's democratic processes.

Read More: Bangladesh Violence: Mob Attacks Newspaper Offices in Dhaka