Days after a residential certificate was issued, reportedly in Patna, for a pet dog named ‘Dog Babu,’ a fresh case has surfaced in Nawada district in Bihar. According to news agency ANI, the authorities said that another application was filed, this time in the name of “Dogesh Babu,” along with a photo of a dog, leading the district administration to initiate legal action.
According to the Nawa DM Ravi Prakash, he has ordered the local police to file an FIR and carry out a probe into the misuse of the RTPS (Right to Public Service) portal.
In a post on social media, he wrote, “Copycats… or rather copy dogs, were caught trying to apply for a residence certificate from Sirdala, Rajauli. FIR is being registered for lame and stale attempt at humour.”
“Such tampering with administrative processes is not acceptable under any circumstances. Action will be taken against the culprits,” he added further, as quoted by Hindustan Times.
Election Commission Reacts On Fake Certificate Row
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday issued a strong rebuttal to viral social media posts claiming that a dog named “Dog Babu” was issued a residence certificate under Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Roll (SIR) drive, allegedly making it eligible to vote. The claim, amplified by multiple political figures, including Shiv Sena(UBT)’s Priyanka Chaturvedi, Congress’ Supriya Shrinate, and activist Yogendra Yadav, shared what appeared to be an official residence certificate issued in the name of a dog, complete with a photo and parental details humorously listed as “Kutta Babu” and “Kuttiya Devi”
The Commission stated: “Vote of every citizen is important. No voter of Bihar has given such document to the Election Commission.”The rebuttal emphasised that no such residence certificate has been officially submitted or considered valid in any electoral process.
According to news agency IANS, the officials from Bihar’s Revenue Department, whose stamp appears on the fake certificate, also confirmed the image was doctored and had not been issued by any authorised government office. The certificate ID number and QR code seen in the image do not correspond to any legitimate entry in the state database.
The controversy erupted amid heightened political tensions, with opposition parties accusing the government of mismanaging the electoral roll update process.The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and several Congress leaders mocked the ECI, suggesting animals could now be enrolled as voters under the BJP-led administration.
(With inputs from agencies)
