SIR: Jharkhand BLA Arrested For Allegedly Hundreds of Form 7 Targeting Muslims
BJP booth agent in Jharkhand arrested over mass Form 7 submissions targeting minority voters.
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A Booth Level Agent (BLA) affiliated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Godda district, Jharkhand, was arrested after being accused of submitting approximately 200 Form 7 applications seeking the deletion of voters’ names, all reportedly from the minority community. The agent, Vinay Kumar Mandal, was released on bail following his arrest. The incident occurred during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.
As reported by The Indian Express, the complaint was filed by Mukarram Ansari, a voter from Booth No. 231 in Pachrukhi village, who stated that all the Form 7 applications submitted by Mandal targeted genuine voters from the minority community, including the Booth Level Officer (BLO) Sajida Bibi and her husband. The FIR was registered at Godda Muffasil Police Station on 3 September 2026, invoking sections related to forgery, intentional insult, and false declaration under the Representation of the People Act.
Further details indicate that Mandal claimed he was instructed to submit the forms after a meeting of BJP BLAs. Sajida Bibi, the BLO, confirmed that Mandal brought the forms to her on 29 August and requested her signature and a receipt, which she refused until verification. Upon checking, she found all forms related to Muslim voters, including her own name and her husband's.
Police confirmed Mandal’s arrest and subsequent release on bail. Mandal stated he was called to the village to collect a receipt but was surrounded and allegedly assaulted before police intervention. He acknowledged that most forms he submitted pertained to Muslim voters but noted that similar forms had been submitted in his own predominantly Hindu village. The incident led to local residents and political representatives calling for an investigation, with the District Election Officer ordering a probe into the mass submission of Form 7s.
"When we came to know that our names could be deleted through these forms, we informed senior officials," Ansari said, highlighting the community's concern over the deletions.
Analysis showed that Jharkhand is among several states experiencing significant voter list changes during the SIR process. Across 17 states, 6.15 crore names were deleted from electoral rolls in two months, with only 18% marked as deceased and the remainder categorized as absent, shifted, or duplicate. The SIR process has led to a 15.7% decrease in voter numbers compared to the Lok Sabha rolls.
Opposition parties have raised concerns about the scale and targeting of deletions. Coverage revealed that former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi questioned the lack of transparency regarding the number of illegal immigrants identified, while criticising the removal of crores of voters and its impact on democratic rights.
In the context of the SIR, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) play a critical role in verifying voter details and processing claims or objections. Reporting indicated that the process can be complex, with flagged voters required to appear in person for hearings and provide documentation, which can disadvantage certain groups, including migrant workers.
Broader analysis of SIR deletions in other regions has shown a disproportionate impact on minority communities. Recent findings from Hyderabad’s Chandrayangutta constituency revealed that 1.08 lakh Muslim names were flagged for deletion, representing a significant share of the total exclusions in that area.
"There were many names, including my own and my husband's," Sajida Bibi stated, confirming the focus of the Form 7 submissions on minority voters.
Political reactions have varied, with BJP leaders alleging that their agent was wrongfully detained and threatened, while opposition representatives described the incident as an attempt to manipulate the voter rolls. Statements from party officials have further intensified the debate over the integrity of the SIR process and the protection of voter rights in Jharkhand and beyond.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.