Dhanbad: The Dhanbad district administration on Thursday sealed an Aadhaar centre in Wasseypur for charging people to fill enumeration forms under the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.Officials said the centre collected Rs 50 to Rs 100 from applicants for filling SIR enumeration forms, a service not authorised for private fee collection. The operator was absent during the raid and is being traced.Acting on a complaint, sub-divisional officer (SDO) Lokesh Barange said, “The Election Commission’s SIR campaign is underway across Jharkhand to update and verify electoral rolls. The administration received information that the Wasseypur centre was charging citizens for assistance in submitting forms. An inspection confirmed the complaint, leading to immediate action.”“The centre has been sealed and efforts are underway to locate the operator. We are also keeping a close watch on other centres where illegal collection of money in the name of election-related work is suspected,” Barange said.He urged voters not to depend on unauthorised agencies, cyber cafes, Aadhaar centres or intermediaries. Electors should fill the enumeration form themselves or seek help only from their booth level officer (BLO), supervisor or authorised volunteers for the revision exercise.Barange warned that forms filled by private agents after payment could contain incorrect details and affect a voter’s electoral record. He stressed that the Election Commission has not authorised private centres to collect fees.The SDO cautioned that fraudulent addition or deletion of names using false information would invite action under the Representation of the People Act and other provisions. Residents should report illegal fee collection or unauthorised services, as SIR is free and conducted only through authorised election machinery.
