In a bizarre administrative lapse during Bihar’s ongoing drive to revise voter rolls under the State Identification Registry (SIR), a digitally signed residence certificate has emerged in the name of ‘Dog Babu’, complete with a photo of a dog and parent names ‘Kutta Babu’ and ‘Kuttiya Devi’.
The certificate, issued through the RTPS (Right to Public Services) portal in Masaurhi, near Patna, lists the address as Kaulichak, Ward No. 15, under Nagar Parishad Masaurhi. What makes the incident even more alarming is that the document was digitally signed by revenue officer Murari Chauhan (Certificate No. BRCCO/2025/15933581), eliminating the possibility of online mischief and confirming that the certificate passed through official validation.
Opposition Slams BJP as “Dog Babu” Certificate Goes Viral
The revelation has triggered political backlash, with Opposition leaders calling out the Bihar administration for gross negligence. Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav criticized the system, saying, “This is the same certificate being used for SIR, while Aadhaar and ration cards are being called fake.”
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The Congress also hit out sharply: “The dog will appear and vote for BJP. Perhaps they’ll make Dog Babu a candidate too. This is naked manipulation of the electoral system by BJP with an unscrupulous @ECISVEEP,” the party wrote on social media, accusing the Election Commission of turning a blind eye.
Officials Respond: FIR Filed, Probe Ordered
In response, Bihar authorities have cancelled the certificate and confirmed that an FIR has been registered against the applicant, the RTPS operator, and the revenue officer involved.
“A case of issuing a residence certificate in the name of ‘Dog Babu’ has come to light in the Masaurhi zone. The moment the matter came to notice, the certificate was cancelled,” read an official statement from the Patna District Administration.
Circle Officer Prabhat Ranjan called the incident “a serious administrative failure” and said the misuse of digital access (dongle) will be thoroughly investigated. The Sub-Divisional Officer of Masaurhi has been tasked with submitting a detailed report within 24 hours.
Repeat of Errors: ‘Sonalika Tractor’ Case Surfaces in Munger
The Dog Babu incident isn’t isolated. Just two weeks earlier, another residence certificate was issued to a tractor in Munger district. The certificate carried the image of a Sonalika tractor and listed the applicant as “Sonalika Kumari”, daughter of Begusarai Chaudhary and Baliya Devi.
The address? Village – Tractorpur Diara, Ward No. 17, under Muffasil Sadar Block, Munger, Bihar.
Both cases have raised serious questions about the digital verification process, administrative oversight, and potential manipulation of citizen data during a crucial phase of electoral preparations in Bihar.
