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12 Cases Of Burqa-Enabled Voter Fraud Across India

The Commune

On 6 November 2025, during polling for the Bihar Assembly elections, a video from Siwan went viral on social media. In the clip, a woman identified as Tabassum Khatoon is seen admitting that she wiped off the indelible ink from her finger immediately after voting so that she could attempt to cast another fraudulent vote while remaining covered in a burqa.

This report compiles 12 major incidents from 2022 to 2025 in which individuals identified by election officials or caught on video, allegedly attempted to cast fraudulent votes while concealing their identity under a burqa during elections held across different Indian states.

#1 Burqa Voter Verification Row in Bihar (2025)

A video from Siwan, Bihar, recorded during the 2025 Assembly elections, went viral on social media on 6 November 2025. In the clip, a Muslim woman named Tabassum Khatoon claims that she wiped off the indelible ink from her finger immediately after voting so that she could allegedly cast a fake vote again while covered in a burqa. The incident triggered sharp reactions from opposition parties, who protested over voter verification procedures for burqa-clad voters.

#2 Burqa-Clad Women Allegedly Involved in Fake Voting in Seelampur (2025)

On 5 February 2025, during the Delhi Assembly elections, a controversy erupted in the Seelampur constituency after allegations surfaced that women wearing burqas were being used to cast fake votes. According to claims made at the polling booth, some voters reported that their votes had already been cast before they arrived. Following these accusations, clashes broke out among workers of the BJP, AAP, and Congress. Supporters exchanged blows and engaged in heated arguments, leading to chaos at the booth. The incident drew attention to election-day security lapses and the need for stricter identity verification procedures.

#3 Burqa-Clad Fake Voter Caught During Bihar Bypoll (2024)

On 13 November 2024, during the Bihar by-election in Gaya, election officials detained a woman wearing a burqa who allegedly attempted to cast a vote without valid identification or registration. According to officials, the woman had travelled from West Bengal to Bihar specifically to participate in fraudulent voting. A video of the incident quickly went viral on social media, showing the woman admitting that she had come to cast a fake vote while hiding her identity under a burqa.

#4 Burqa-Clad Women Seen Defending Illegal Voting During Purnia Polls (2024)

On 27 May 2024, during the Bihar Lok Sabha elections, a video from Purnia went viral on social media showing a Muslim woman defending instances of underage girls allegedly casting fake votes while wearing burqas. In the clip, she complains that some “Muslim girls were caught by the administration for voting in burqas,” and argues that the girls had come “just out of curiosity” and had not committed a major offence.

#5 15 Burqa-Clad Women Arrested for Alleged Fake Voting in Uttar Pradesh (2025)

On 23 May 2025, during the Uttar Pradesh municipal elections, authorities arrested 15 women in the Khirabag area of Mau after they allegedly attempted to cast fake votes while wearing burqas. Election officials detained the women at the polling booth and handed them over to the police. According to officials, the group was found carrying counterfeit Aadhaar cards, and two of the accused were identified as minors. The incident unfolded during voting across 38 districts.

#6 Three Burqa-Clad Women Arrested for Alleged Fake Voting in Madhubani (2024)

On 22 May 2024, during the fifth phase of the Bihar Lok Sabha elections, police arrested three women wearing burqas along with one man at Booth No. 85 located inside the Hakkaniya Madarsa in Devra Bandhauli, Jale Assembly constituency (No. 87) in Madhubani district. According to officials, the four were attempting to cast fraudulent votes using false identities. The man, identified as Mohammad Sanaullah, was allegedly coordinating the fake voting attempt. All four were detained directly from the polling station.

#7 Minor Girl Caught Attempting Fake Vote in Burqa During Sambhal Polling (2024)

On 7 May 2024, during the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections, security personnel in the Kundarki Assembly segment of the Sambhal constituency detained a minor girl who arrived at Booth No. 398 wearing a burqa and allegedly attempted to cast a vote using the voter slip of a 40-year-old woman.

#8 Burqa-Clad Woman Arrested for Alleged Fake Voting in Rampur (2023)

On 18 November 2023, police in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, arrested a Muslim woman wearing a burqa for allegedly attempting to cast a fake vote using her sister-in-law’s identity. According to officials, the woman admitted during questioning that she had been sent by her father-in-law and mother-in-law to vote fraudulently on behalf of the relative.

#9 Four Burqa-Clad Women Detained for Alleged Fake Voting Attempt in Sambhal (2023)

On 4 May 2023, during the municipal elections in Chandausi, Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh, police detained four women who allegedly attempted to cast fake votes while wearing burqas. Authorities reported that the women arrived at polling booths carrying forged identification documents. During verification, officials discovered inconsistencies, leading to their detention. One of the four was identified as a minor.

#10 Two Burqa-Clad Women Caught Attempting Fake Voting in Rampur (2022)

On 14 February 2022, during the second phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, two Muslim women, identified as Rani and her daughter Muskan were detained in Rampur for allegedly attempting to cast fake votes while wearing burqas. The incident took place at a polling booth set up inside GRP College in the Rampur City Assembly constituency. According to election officials, one of the women had already managed to cast an illegal vote before being caught. Both were immediately handed over to police.

#11 Video Shows Burqa-Clad Women Allegedly Preparing for Fake Voting in Uttar Pradesh (2022)

In March 2022, during the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, a video went viral on social media showing several young Muslim women gathered inside a room with multiple forged Aadhaar cards visible around them. In the clip, voices can be heard accusing the burqa-clad women of planning or attempting to cast fake votes using these counterfeit documents.

#12 Woman Caught Attempting to Cast Dead Co-Wife’s Vote in Burqa During Amroha Polls (2019)

On 21 April 2019, during the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections, a woman in Amroha’s Hasanpur area was detained for allegedly attempting to cast a vote in the name of her deceased co-wife while wearing a burqa to conceal her identity. Election officials grew suspicious during verification and alerted police, who detained her at the polling booth. A case was subsequently registered, and legal action was initiated.

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