Amid Bihar SIR row, 'Dog Babu' gets residence certificate; probe underway

While Bihar witnesses a state-wide drive under the State Identification Registry (SIR) to revise voter rolls, a bizarre incident has sparked political outrage. A dog named ‘Dog Babu’ has allegedly been issued a residence certificate, which is also a proof of identity, has surfaced on the RTPS (Right to Public Services) portal in Masaurhi, a town near Patna. The applicant’s father’s name and mother’s name were entered as ‘Kutta Babu’ and ‘Kuttiya Devi’ respectively. “It is proven that ‘Dog Babu’ of Mohalla Kaulichak, Ward No 15, Nagar Parishad Masaurhi, Patna, is a permanent resident,” read the certificate, which has a watermark of the Bihar government. 

The certificate was digitally signed by Revenue Officer Murari Chauhan and generated on July 24, 2025, from the RTPS portal. Interestingly, the certificate, with the number BRCCO/2025/15933581, was linked to the documents of a woman from Delhi. Aadhar details and documents of her husband had been uploaded, proving that the system had been tampered with.

‘Dog Babu’ certificate sparks political outrage

"See it with your own eyes! On July 24, a dog got a residence certificate made in Bihar. This is the same certificate which is being accepted in SIR in Bihar, while Aadhaar and ration cards are being declared fake. You can check the photo and name yourself. Don't worry: The government has assured to take action in this matter!" wrote Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav, who shared the viral certificate on X(formerly known as Twitter). 

Congress wrote, "The dog will appear and vote for the BJP. Perhaps they'll make Dog Babu a candidate, also all BJP Karyakartas will vote for him. This is naked manipulation of the electoral system by BJP with an unscrupulous @ECISVEEP, which is working as a criminal syndicate. The courts are bystanders and blessing the carnage of democracy with their silence."

Action against viral 'Dog Babu' certificate

The viral certificate, exposing loopholes in the system, drew the attention of the authorities. Following this, the authorities said that the certificate was cancelled and a police complaint has been filed against the applicant, the computer operator and the officer who issued the certificate.  “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. An FIR is being registered at the local police station against the applicant, the computer operator, and the officer who issued the certificate. The Sub-Divisional Officer of Masaurhi has been asked to conduct a thorough probe and submit a report within 24 hours. Strict departmental and disciplinary action will follow against those found guilty,” read the post on Patna District Magistrate’s official handle.

Meanwhile, this isn't an isolated case, as another weird certificate popped up just two weeks ago. The certificate was issued in the name of ‘Sonalika tractor’ with an address that sounds like a joke –Village - ‘Tractorpur Diara’.