Amid SIR row, 2 Pak women on Bihar electoral roll spark probe

For neighbours in Bhagalpur’s Tank Lane, Imrana Khanam and Firdousia Khanam were like any other elderly women who had grown old in the locality, part of its fabric for decades. Few knew that behind their frail frames lay a story stretching back across the border, and that both were Pakistan nationals who had overstayed their visas since the 1950s.

The startling discovery came when officials, acting on the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) directions, cross-checked documents and found that the two had not only been living in Bhagalpur for nearly seven decades but had also got themselves registered as voters. Both held Aadhaar and voter ID cards.

The two were even verified during the recent special intensive revision (SIR) exercise carried out by the Election Commission.

“I received a letter from the department with her passport number, which I cross-verified. Her name was there on the rolls. She was not in a condition to talk; she is very old and unwell,” said booth level officer Farzana Khanam, recalling how she was instructed to begin the process of removing Imrana’s name.

According to records, Firdousia arrived in India on January 19, 1956, on a three-month visa, while Imrana entered the same year on a three-year visa. Neither left. Over time, their names slipped into the electoral system and remained there undetected for decades.

The revelation has now triggered a full-scale investigation by the MHA. Bhagalpur District Magistrate Nawal Kishore Singh confirmed that steps had been taken to delete their names and cancel their voter IDs, adding that a detailed report would be sent to the EC.

For locals, the news is hard to digest. “She has been here longer than most of us. Nobody thought of her as a foreigner,” said a resident.

The case underscores not just the cracks in India’s electoral system but also the blurred lines of identity, belonging and memory — stretching back to a time when the border itself was still fresh.

The revelations come just a few days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at a Bihar rally, raised concerns over infiltration in the state — a warning that appears to have found echoes in the alleys of Bhagalpur.