Jharkhand government employee suspended for ‘taking bribe’ to correct errors in voters’ SIR documents

A Jharkhand government employee in Hazaribag district was suspended for allegedly taking a bribe for correcting errors in an affidavit during the SIR exercise, an official said on Wednesday.

The action was taken after a video purportedly showing the government official accepting money went viral on social media.

An order issued by the Hazaribag deputy commissioner-cum-election officer said the Barhi SDO reported that a video has gone viral on social media showing an assistant administrative officer "accepting ₹100 in the name of verification of voter ID card and rectification of errors in an affidavit during SIR work".

The allegation is "prima facie established, which is contrary to various rules under the Government Servants' Conduct Rules, 1976", it stated.

"The administrative officer has been suspended, and the Chalkusha Block Office in Hazaribag is fixed as his headquarters," the official said.

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The disposal of claims and objections under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is underway in Jharkhand, and the last date for this phase is November 23.

The Election Commission is scheduled to publish the final electoral rolls on November 30.

The EC had published the draft electoral rolls on August 5 after deleting 43.61 lakh names.

The state had 2.64 crore electors before the SIR exercise.

Following the revision, the draft electoral roll contains 2.21 crore voters, including 1.08 crore women and 260 third-gender people.