A major controversy has erupted in Navi Mumbai’s Kharghar after thousands of voter enumeration forms linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process were allegedly found at a private photocopy shop.
Officials said around 3,400 forms related to voters in the Panvel Assembly constituency were discovered at a photocopy centre in Sector 19, Kharghar. The incident has led to the suspension of five Booth Level Officers (BLOs), registration of a police case and a political confrontation between Shiv Sena (UBT) and BJP workers.
How Were Thousands of Voter Forms Found at a Private Shop?
The controversy came to light after complaints were received about SIR enumeration forms allegedly being photocopied at the private centre.
Election officials subsequently inspected the premises and reportedly found that 3,400 applications had been brought to the shop. The forms were linked to voters across 11 polling stations, with a large number reportedly connected to five particular polling stations. Authorities seized the documents and launched an inquiry into how official voter-related forms reached a private photocopy centre.
Five Booth Level Officers Suspended
Following the discovery, authorities took disciplinary action against five Booth Level Officers.
Raigad District Collector Kishan Jawale said the BLOs had been suspended pending further disciplinary proceedings. Officials are now investigating whether proper procedures were followed while handling and storing the voter enumeration documents.
The incident has raised serious questions about the security and handling of documents connected to the voter revision process.
FIR Registered in Connection With the Case
Police have also registered a case against Suraj Patil in connection with the alleged unauthorised possession and photocopying of the forms.
According to reports, the case involves provisions of the Representation of the People Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The investigation is expected to examine how the forms were obtained, why they were being photocopied and whether any rules governing election-related documents were violated.
Sena (UBT) and BJP Workers Clash
The discovery quickly turned into a political controversy.
Shiv Sena (UBT) workers questioned how forms filled by ordinary voters could allegedly reach private individuals and claimed that BJP youth wing members were connected to the matter.
However, BJP leaders have denied that party workers were involved.
The incident led to a confrontation between workers from both political parties at the location, further escalating tensions surrounding the case.
Inquiry Underway
Authorities have begun a detailed investigation into the incident, with election officials and police examining the chain of custody of the forms.
The key question remains how thousands of sensitive voter enumeration documents ended up at a commercial photocopy centre in Kharghar.
With an FIR registered, five BLOs suspended and a political battle already underway, the Navi Mumbai SIR forms controversy is likely to remain under close scrutiny in the coming days.
