3,400 voter roll forms found at Navi Mumbai shop; five BLOs suspended

A political row has erupted in Navi Mumbai after 3,400 Special Intensive Revision (SIR) forms for voter rolls were discovered at a private photocopy shop in Kharghar's Sector 19. The incident has led to the suspension of five Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and a clash between activists of Shiv Sena (UBT) and the BJP.

Police said Sena (UBT) workers confronted a man they identified as a BJP youth wing office-bearer, Suraj Patil, who was allegedly getting the forms photocopied. A video of the confrontation went viral on Thursday, prompting the district administration to launch an inquiry into how filled voter forms reached a private establishment.

Raigad District Collector Kishan Jawale confirmed that a case has been registered against Patil under the Representation of the People Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The forms pertained to voters in the Panvel Assembly constituency. Police seized the printed forms from the shop and took Patil into custody, though Sena (UBT) workers alleged he later fled the police station.

An inspection by Assistant Electoral Registration Officers found that Patil had brought 3,400 applications to the shop. The forms belonged to 11 polling stations, with a majority from five stations and single copies from six others.

Sena (UBT) office-bearer Balesh Bhojane questioned how forms filled by ordinary voters reached private individuals, alleging BJP youth wing involvement. However, Panvel Municipal Corporation Mayor Nitin Patil, a BJP leader, denied any party connection to the matter.

Opposition NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar criticised the suspension of BLOs as insufficient, alleging the incident exposed manipulation in the SIR process. He demanded action against higher authorities and BJP workers, claiming the BJP was using the process to secure electoral victory. He said he had sought a response from the Election Commission on the matter.

The five suspended BLOs face disciplinary proceedings, the Collector said.