Maharashtra: 3,400 SIR forms found at Navi Mumbai photocopy centre, five BLOs suspended

A controversy broke out in Navi Mumbai’s Kharghar area after 3,400 special intensive revision forms were found at a private photocopy shop, The Indian Express reported on Friday.

Five booth-level officers were suspended pending disciplinary action by the Raigad district collector after the matter came to light.

The police have also filed a first information report against a man named Suraj Patil under provisions of the Representation of the People Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the newspaper reported. The complaint alleged that Patil was in unauthorised possession of special intensive revision forms.

The police said on Friday that members of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) confronted a man who they claimed was a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s youth wing when he was allegedly getting forms photocopied, PTI reported.

A video of the confrontation was widely shared on social media, after which the administration launched an inquiry into how SIR forms filled by voters were found at a photocopy centre.

An unidentified BJP leader from Panvel was quoted as saying by PTI that members of his party had no connection with the matter.

An inspection reportedly revealed that the forms were from 11 polling stations. The majority of the applications were from five polling stations, and while single copies were found from six other polling...

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