Hours after a viral video showed a Pakistani national claiming that he had voted in India, the Election Commission on Wednesday asked the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer to take appropriate action in the matter, The Indian Express has learnt.
On Wednesday morning, news agency ANI posted a clip of a man, identified as Osama, who was returning to Pakistan after India cancelled visas given to Pakistani nationals in the wake of the Pahalgam terrorist attack on April 22. The man can be heard saying in the video that he has lived in India since 2008, and has an Aadhaar card, voter ID, and has even voted in India, though he has a Pakistani passport.
According to senior sources in the EC, the poll panel has asked for a show-cause notice to be issued to the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) concerned. Sources said that since being a citizen of India is a requirement for getting a voter ID, if found true, a First Information Report (FIR) could be filed in the matter. As per Form 6, which is the EC’s form for registration of new voters, the applicant has to declare that he or she is a citizen of India. Giving a false declaration attracts actions, including an FIR.
After the terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam, in which 26 people died, the Union government moved to cancel several categories of visas issued to Pakistani nationals.
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