In Goa’s St Cruz constituency, a striking case of bogus voter entries has come to light in Part 23, Bamonbhat. A house measuring just 32 square meters, and paying only ₹30 in annual house tax — was officially listed as the residence of 28 registered voters with seven different surnames. The actual occupants were completely unaware of these phantom residents until the local Congress party uncovered the discrepancy and reported it to the Chief Electoral Officer. Disturbingly, 15 of these fake voters are believed to have cast ballots in the 2022 Assembly elections.
The case reflects the ongoing push in Goa to identify and eliminate fraudulent entries from electoral rolls. The Election Commission of India’s Goa office is intensifying scrutiny in constituencies like St Cruz, where high migrant populations create scope for duplicate or false registrations. Efforts include detailed verification drives, public appeals for voluntary deletion of bogus entries, and readiness to pursue legal action where required.
This Bamonbhat revelation exposes significant weaknesses in voter registration processes, with clear risks to electoral integrity. The presence of multiple unrelated surnames linked to such a small dwelling raises red flags of potential fraud or administrative oversight. With elections approaching, the Goa Congress has gone public with the issue, urging the Chief Electoral Officer to take swift corrective measures and reinforcing calls for greater transparency and accuracy in the state’s voter lists.