In a surprising discovery during Bihar&rsquo;s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list, a woman of Pakistani origin, who allegedly entered India nearly seven decades ago, was found on the draft electoral roll in Bhagalpur. Officials have initiated a formal process to remove her name and verify the circumstances of her long-term stay in India.
The development came as part of a Home Ministry verification drive aimed at identifying foreign nationals residing in India beyond their visa validity. The woman&rsquo;s name appeared on the state&rsquo;s voter list and was verified during the SIR process by the concerned Booth Level Officer (BLO).
&ldquo;I received a formal communication from the department on August 11, along with her passport and visa details confirming her Pakistani nationality. Her passport was issued in Rangpur in 1956, and the visa in 1958,&rdquo; the BLO said. She added that the woman, in poor health, was unable to respond during verification, and the formalities were completed as per procedure. Form 7 was submitted to initiate her deletion from the voter roll.
Bhagalpur District Magistrate Dr Naval Kishor Chaudhary confirmed the action, stating, &ldquo;Her name was found on the electoral roll. The deletion process has begun, and a formal investigation into her continued residence and inclusion will follow due procedure.&rdquo;
The SIR in Bihar, launched in July ahead of assembly elections, distributed and collected forms from June 25 to July 25. Out of 7.89 crore registered electors, 7.24 crore forms were received. The draft roll, published on August 1, excluded roughly 65 lakh names due to death, relocation, or duplicate enrollment. Eligible voters were given a month to submit supporting documents or raise objections.
As of Sunday, the Election Commission confirmed receipt of documents from 98.2% of listed electors in Bihar&rsquo;s draft rolls, highlighting the extensive verification process in the state.

Pakistani Woman on Bihar Voter List After 70 Years

Officials begin removal process after discovery during Special Intensive Revision

Pakistani Woman on Bihar Voter List After 70 Years

Officials begin removal process after discovery during Special Intensive Revision

August 24, 2025 | 18:57 IST