‘Dog Babu, son of Kutta Babu & Kutiya Devi’: Bihar goofs up residence proof amid electoral roll revision
The incident highlights flaws in the Bihar government's verification system and raises questions about access to government documentation.
The incident highlights flaws in the Bihar government's verification system and raises questions about access to government documentation.
The incident highlights flaws in the Bihar government's verification system and raises questions about access to government documentation.
Patna: In a case that’s straight out of a political satire, a stray dog in rural Patna has managed to do what many humans struggle with--secure a government-issued residence certificate. ‘Dog Babu’, offspring of the equally illustrious ‘Kutta Babu’ and ‘Kutiya Devi’, was officially declared a resident of Masaurhi in Patna district, at least for a brief moment.
The canine’s certificate, complete with a photo and all the bureaucratic bells and whistles, surfaced online, leaving the internet howling with laughter and state officials scrambling for damage control. The document was reportedly issued as part of the ongoing special drive to revise electoral rolls in Bihar.
Under the Bihar Right to Public Service Act, applicants can obtain residence certificates online after standard verification procedures. But it seems someone took creative liberties, uploading details of a stray dog and slipping it past the system.
As the certificate, dated July 24, went viral, netizens poked fun at the incident, questioning how a dog could get certified while legitimate citizens are often left struggling. Memes flooded social media, and some users questioned why Aadhaar and ration cards were not accepted by the Election Commission when dogs apparently had better access to government documentation.
Quick to act, the district administration cancelled the certificate and lodged an FIR against all involved. The computer operator who entered the data, the official who approved the certificate, and the mysterious applicant are all in the doghouse now. A detailed investigation has been ordered, with the Sub Divisional Officer of Masaurhi tasked with submitting a report within 24 hours.
The entire application was fraudulently backed by Aadhaar cards of a couple from Delhi. “The applicant used Aadhaar cards of one Vibha Kumari and her husband Ajit Kumar, both with Delhi addresses, to get the job done,” Masaurhi SDO Abhishek Kumar told Times of India.
Yogendra Yadav was quick to call out the error: “See it with your own eyes! On July 24 in Bihar, a dog got a residence certificate issued. This is the same certificate being accepted under the SIR process in Bihar, while Aadhaar and ration cards are being dismissed as fake... Don’t worry, the government has assured action in this matter!” he said in a post on X.
The district administration responded, saying action had been taken to address the issue. Amit Malviya also weighed in, saying: “The purpose of the SIR (Special Intensive Revision) process is to identify such infiltrators and fake certificate makers (which includes elements like these) who have obtained citizenship benefits through illegal means. Those who have panicked after seeing themselves exposed are now trying to give a communal colour to this constitutional process. Foreign agencies and their informers in India are also active in this.”