Probe ordered; the discovery of the documents in Sultanpur district has raised concerns over the handling of election records and the security of voters' personal information
SULTANPUR — Hundreds of election-related documents — including completed voter registration forms and photocopies of Aadhaar cards — were found dumped in bushes along Diyara Road in Lambhua, Sultanpur district, Uttar Pradesh. The discovery prompted the district administration to launch an investigation.
Passers-by and locals found the documents on June 22 after spotting papers scattered along the roadside. Videos of the documents soon circulated on social media, drawing the attention of officials.
Among the recovered papers were Form-6 applications used for voter registration, Aadhaar card photocopies and other identity-related documents containing sensitive personal information.
According to preliminary reports and videos on social media, the documents were stuffed into a sack and discarded in an open area. Some reports also said they may have been removed from a government record room in the old tehsil building after its lock was allegedly broken, a claim that is now part of the official inquiry.
The discovery has raised concerns over the handling of election records and the security of voters’ personal information.
District Magistrate Indrajeet Singh ordered an inquiry into the incident the same day, calling it a serious matter. He said the administration was investigating how the documents ended up in the open and assured that strict action would be taken against anyone found responsible.
“The matter is being examined thoroughly. If any official or individual is found to have been negligent, appropriate action will be taken in accordance with the rules,” Singh was quoted by local media as saying.
Residents who first came across the documents said many of them appeared to belong to voters from the Gosai Ka Pura (Gandhi Nagar) area. Several forms were reportedly fully completed and contained personal details such as names, addresses, mobile phone numbers and other identifying information. The presence of Aadhaar photocopies alongside the forms has heightened concerns over the potential misuse of sensitive personal data.
The incident has also raised broader questions about the safeguards in place for protecting election-related records. Locals said the documents could have been exploited for identity theft or other forms of misuse had they fallen into the wrong hands.
Police and revenue department officials later reached the site, collected the documents and began investigating the matter. Officials also spoke to locals in an attempt to establish the source of the records.
The incident also drew local leaders of the Samajwadi Party to the site. Party representatives alleged that many of the discarded forms belonged to members of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes and the minority communities. They have called for an impartial investigation and strict action against those found responsible.
The district administration said the inquiry is ongoing, and further action will be taken based on its findings.
