Pilibhit, October 23, 2026: Uttar Pradesh election authorities have ordered legal action after an inquiry found irregularities involving 10,470 approved voter-detail correction entries in the Pilibhit Sadar Assembly constituency. An FIR has been registered against two election officials and a computer operator, while the affected entries will now undergo fresh verification.
The case has drawn particular attention because the constituency was won by a margin of fewer than 7,000 votes, although election authorities have not said the irregular entries altered the election result.
10,470 Approved Entries Under Fresh Scrutiny
According to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer’s office, 13,779 Form-8 applications seeking changes to voter details were entered between May 31 and August 29, 2026.
Of those applications, 10,470 were approved and 3,309 were rejected. Authorities have now ordered all 10,470 approved entries to be checked again.
Supporting Documents Were Missing
The inquiry found that application forms and supporting records related to the entries were not available in the office.
This absence of documentation became one of the key reasons election authorities ordered a wider investigation into how the changes were processed and approved.
FIR Filed Against Two SDMs and Computer Operator
An FIR has been registered against former electoral registration officers Mayank Goswami and Hemant Chaudhary, along with computer operator Anil Kumar, in connection with the alleged irregularities.
Departmental proceedings have also been initiated against the two officials.
Computer Operator Removed From Service
Election authorities have terminated the services of the computer operator linked to the Voter Registration Centre.
The two election officials have also been removed from their previous responsibilities and attached to the district headquarters while the inquiry continues.
Legal Action Under Representation of the People Act
Authorities have indicated that action will be taken under Section 32 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, along with relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The role of assistant electoral registration officers is also being examined as investigators try to determine how the entries were processed.
Complaints Began With EPIC Number Mismatches
The controversy began after complaints that searching certain Electors Photo Identity Card numbers online displayed details belonging to different individuals.
That prompted election authorities to order a detailed examination of voter-list correction applications and supporting records.
Congress Alleged Large-Scale Voter Roll Manipulation
The Uttar Pradesh Congress had earlier alleged that names of 13,150 voters were changed while their EPIC and serial numbers remained the same.
The party also raised allegations involving deletion of existing voters and addition of people who allegedly did not live at the stated addresses. These are opposition allegations and remain subject to official verification.
Other Pilibhit Constituencies Also to Be Checked
The investigation will not remain limited to Pilibhit Sadar.
District officials have ordered reviews of voter lists in Puranpur, Bisalpur and Barkhera Assembly constituencies as well.
Wider State-Level Verification Ordered
Following the Pilibhit findings, election authorities have also asked district election officers across Uttar Pradesh to scrutinise electoral rolls for similar discrepancies.
The move is intended to determine whether the problem was isolated or whether comparable irregularities exist elsewhere in the state.
Election Result Not Yet Linked to Irregularities
Pilibhit Sadar’s narrow election margin has made the issue politically sensitive.
However, the discovery of irregular voter entries does not by itself establish that the election outcome was affected, and authorities are still conducting verification and legal proceedings.
Probe Continues Into Responsibility
Investigators will now examine the 10,470 approved correction forms, digital records and the roles of officials involved in processing them.
Further disciplinary or criminal action could follow depending on what the fresh verification reveals.
Source: Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer, The Indian Express, India Today, Hindustan
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