Official Response to Money‑Demand Claims in Jharkhand’s SIR Drive

In the midst of Jharkhand's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) campaign, a Booth Level Officer from Garhwa district has come under fire for allegedly demanding cash from voters. Residents of the Goryabandh settlement in Khapra Panchayat allege that BLO Jamila B.B. requested between 50 and 100 rupees for "snacks and water" as a condition for accepting their SIR enrollment forms, warning that non‑payment might lead to exclusion from the voter roll.

Jamila B.B. responded that the accusations are unfounded, emphasizing that she has assisted close to 170 voters in completing the SIR forms without extracting any fee. She claims that a few disgruntled individuals are attempting to sabotage her reputation and that a simple verification with the voters she helped would confirm her statement.

Deputy Commissioner Pasupatinath Mishra has taken note of the complaint and instructed the Sub‑Divisional Officer to launch a formal investigation. Mishra assured that, should the investigation substantiate the claims, disciplinary action in line with existing regulations will be taken. Preliminary findings hint at a possible personal dispute rather than a systemic issue, and a comprehensive fact‑finding report will be prepared before any decisive action.

The SIR operation, which started on June 30, involves BLOs circulating partially completed enumeration forms to households. Voters are required to verify their information, fill in the remaining details, and submit the forms back to the BLO. The draft electoral roll will be made public on August 5, with a window for claims and objections running until September 4, and a resolution phase concluding by October 3. The final voter list is scheduled for publication on October 7, 2026. Meanwhile, authorities are still reviewing a viral video that claims to show the alleged fee demand.