Is a Pakistani National Illegally Registered as a Voter in Bengal?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Arjun Singh raises alarm over a Pakistani national’s voter registration.
- Saleha Khatoon allegedly obtained fraudulent Indian identity documents.
- Concerns about national security and electoral integrity.
- Call for a high-level investigation into the matter.
- Broader issue of foreign nationals obtaining voter registration in West Bengal.
Kolkata, Oct 16 (NationPress) Former BJP Lok Sabha representative from Barrackpore, Arjun Singh, has alerted the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding the troubling situation of a Pakistani citizen from Karachi being registered as a voter in the Naihati Assembly constituency within the same district of West Bengal.
In a formal communication to the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Monoj Kumar Agarwal, Singh identified the Pakistani individual as Saleha Khatoon, also known as Saleha Imran.
Singh's correspondence asserted that Saleha Khatoon, who possesses the Pakistani passport number EU4173171, has illicitly obtained Indian identity documents including an AADHAR Card (No. 2797 4242 4102) and an EPIC Card (Voter ID No. FKY0779223).
The address listed for the Pakistani national on Indian identity documents is 23, A.T. Ghosh Road, Naihati (M), Gorifa, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, 743166.
Singh emphasized, "Her EPIC is registered in the 104-Naihati Assembly Constituency."
This illegal activity not only serves as an entry point to various Indian social programs but also poses a significant risk to the nation’s demographic and security frameworks.
He urged the CEO's office to conduct a prompt and comprehensive investigation to uncover the electoral officials who aided Saleha Khatoon in securing her name on the West Bengal voters' list.
Additionally, he called for the immediate annulment of EPIC Cards and a strong recommendation to the UIDAI for the cancellation of the AADHAR cards held by Saleha Imran and her children, Yawar Imran and Jazba Imran.
According to Singh, this incident is emblematic of a broader issue involving foreign nationals, particularly from Pakistan, operating within border districts of West Bengal—including North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Murshidabad, Malda, Nadia, Cooch Behar, and Jalpaiguri—who are fraudulently obtaining Indian identity documents and enrolling as voters in the state.
Singh concluded, "This fraudulent activity is a gateway to accessing other Indian social schemes and poses a direct threat to the country's demographic and security structure."