Investigation Launched After Afghan Passports Surface in Electoral Roll

In the course of the ongoing SIR campaign, election officials in Jharkhand discovered that three Afghan passport holders were listed as eligible voters in the Jamshedpur East constituency. The names—Asil Khan, Mohammad Aslam and Mohammad Ibrahim—were found in the official list for Booth 286, occupying three consecutive positions. When the district election officer requested additional evidence of citizenship, the candidates did not submit the required documentation. Consequently, the department inspected the passports on file, which unmistakably identified the three as Afghan nationals. The incident has prompted a comprehensive inquiry into how foreign nationals could bypass the verification safeguards. Authorities are examining whether any officers, agents, or third parties facilitated the inclusion of these names. The Election Commission has warned that any person found complicit will be prosecuted under the Representation of the People Act, and similar audits will be carried out throughout the state to prevent recurrence.