A government employee in Jharkhand's Hazaribag district has been suspended after a video that allegedly showed the employee taking a bribe during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls went viral on social media, an official said on Wednesday (November 4), Hindustan Times reported.
According to the suspension order issued by the Hazaribag deputy commissioner-cum-election officer, the Barhi sub-divisional officer (SDO) reported a viral video showing an assistant administrative officer "accepting ₹100 in the name of verification of voter ID card and rectification of errors in an affidavit during SIR work".
The order said the allegation was "prima facie established" and contrary to the Government Servants' Conduct Rules, 1976. The officer's headquarters during suspension has been fixed at the Chalkusha block office. The order was issued on November 3, The Photon News reported.
The officer's side
The officer denied taking a bribe, the Hindi news site Live Dainik reported. According to the officer, the affidavit submitted by a young man from Chouparan block did not carry a lawyer's attested signature, and the money was taken to complete that step. Live Dainik said it could not verify the video. Barhi SDO Johan Tudu had ordered an inquiry.
The SIR in Jharkhand
In Jharkhand, claims and objections are being settled until November 23, and the final rolls are due on November 30, Hindustan Times reported.
The draft rolls, published on August 5, deleted 43.61 lakh names. The state had 2.64 crore electors before the exercise; the draft roll has 2.21 crore, including 1.08 crore women and 260 third-gender voters.