On 24th August, a startling revelation came from Bhagalpur, Bihar, that two Pakistani women named Imrana Khanam and Firdousia Khanam, have been found to have her name in the state’s voter list. The women possessed Aadhaar cards as well. Imrana entered India in 1956 on a 3-year visa and Firdousia on a 3-month-visa in same year. The issue came to light during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process of the electoral rolls as the citizenship was also checked during the process. Though her name made it to the draft voter list, the process to remove it has been initiated on the instructions of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Discrepancy uncovered during verification
According to the officials, the women had arrived in India with a Pakistani passport in 1956. Records show none of them renewed their visa and continued to stay in the country illegally. During the verification process, authorities matched the passport details and flagged them as a foreign national.
Name removal process initiated
Booth Level Officer (BLO), Farzana Khanam, confirmed that she received directions from the department after the Ministry of Home Affairs identified the case. Following the orders, the officer initiated the paperwork to remove the names from the rolls. The officer added about Imrana that the woman, now old and unwell, could not speak for herself during the verification. The Home Ministry issued a notice on 11th August, which set the process in motion.
#WATCH | Bhagalpur, Bihar: A Pakistani woman, who came to India in 1956, has been found to be in Bihar's voter list and was even verified in the SIR carried out in the state. When the Home Ministry started carrying out an investigation regarding foreign nationals who had… pic.twitter.com/CodczsabaD
— ANI (@ANI) August 24, 2025
Administrative action underway
Sources in the administration revealed that Imrana had also worked in a government job at some point, which raised further questions about the extent of her integration despite her foreign nationality. The ongoing investigation will determine how long she has been listed as a voter and whether she exercised the franchise in past elections.
District administration’s response
District Magistrate of Bhagalpur, Dr Nawal Kishor Choudhary, confirmed that two Pakistani nationals with valid voter IDs have been identified in the district. He said, “There are 24 lakh voters in Bhagalpur. BLOs visit each booth for verification. This is the first time such a case has been reported, and we will take action as per the law.”
VIDEO | Bihar: Two Pakistani nationals with valid voter IDs have reportedly been found in Bhagalpur. The district administration has started the process to remove them from the voter list.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 24, 2025
Bhagalpur District Magistrate Dr. Nawal Kishor Choudhary says, "There are 24 lakh voters… pic.twitter.com/bt7oeHbXIv
Larger political context
The discovery of a Pakistani national in the voter list has proved that the SIR exercise was necessary in the state. The case is also likely to reignite debates on infiltration and illegal stay, particularly after repeated warnings by the Union government clearly directing Pakistani nationals to leave the country following the Pahalgam terrorist attack in April this year.
Furthermore, it has brought back the focus on the demand for the SIR exercise across the country, especially in the poll-bound states.
