Administrative Crackdown in Pilibhit

Uttar Pradesh election authorities have initiated strict legal and departmental action against multiple officials following the detection of major irregularities involving over 10,000 voter entries in the Pilibhit Assembly constituency. The decisive measures come in the wake of mounting political pressure and preliminary investigations revealing severe procedural lapses at the Voter Registration Centre.

According to an official statement released by the office of Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Navdeep Rinwa, a detailed administrative inquiry established that a computer assistant processed 13,779 Form-8 applications—meant for modifications in voter details—between May 31 and August 29, 2026. Out of these, 10,470 entries were approved while 3,309 faced rejection.

Crucially, investigators discovered an absolute absence of physical application forms or supporting archival records corresponding to these processed entries within the office premises.

Disciplinary and Legal Measures

Acting swiftly on the findings, the state election machinery directed legal proceedings against the responsible computer assistant and two Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) who held tenure during the scrutinized period. The penal actions are being pursued under Section 32 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, alongside relevant sections of the newly enacted Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Pilibhit District Magistrate Alok Kumar briefed reporters, confirming that departmental proceedings have been formally initiated against Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) Mayank Goswami and Hemant Chaudhary. Both officers, who oversaw the voter list preparations during the timeline in question, have been immediately attached to the district headquarters. Meanwhile, the computer operator, identified as Anil Kumar, has been dismissed from service.

Political Opposition and Expanded Audits

The discrepancies came to light following intense political scrutiny. Major opposition parties, including the Congress and the Samajwadi Party, flagged systemic anomalies after discovering multiple instances where distinct Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers mapped to incorrect voter profiles. The Uttar Pradesh Congress unit specifically alleged that over 13,000 voters in the Pilibhit Sadar segment experienced unauthorized profile alterations while retaining identical EPIC and serial numbers.

In response to the escalating controversy, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer has ordered a comprehensive re-examination of all Form-6 (inclusion of names) and Form-7 (deletion of names) applications processed by the implicated personnel between April 10 and October 21. Authorities have mandated the submission of a compliance report within 24 hours, alongside ongoing corrective measures to restore accuracy to the affected voter registries in accordance with statutory norms.