Bihar Officials Issue Residence Certificate to 'Dog Babu'
In a bizarre administrative lapse, officials in Bihar issued a residential certificate to a dog. The document, issued through the Masaurhi Sub-Divisional Office's online portal, named the beneficiary as "Dog Babu," with the father listed as "Kutta Babu." The certificate, bearing the digital signature of a revenue officer, has gone viral. An investigation revealed that the application had manipulated a Delhi-based woman's identity documents. An FIR has been filed, exposing serious flaws in the state's automated verification system.
Unpacked:
The applicant manipulated a Delhi-based woman’s identity documents during the online process. The automated verification failed to catch the fake details, exposing systemic flaws in the portal’s safeguards and allowing the certificate to be issued with a genuine digital signature.
An FIR has been filed against the applicant, the computer operator, and the revenue officer who issued the certificate. The district administration has also cancelled the certificate and launched an investigation into how the error occurred.
The incident occurred amid a state-wide push to revise voter rolls and citizen records under SIR. It highlights vulnerabilities in digital verification at a time when the state is relying more on automated processes for crucial identity documents.
The incident has sparked amusement and ridicule on social media, with many sharing jokes and memes. Politicians like Yogendra Yadav criticized the government, pointing out the irony of such lapses during a critical identification drive.