HANDWARA, KUPWARA, APRIL 26:The most valuable identity document other than a passport, the electoral photo-identity cards issued by the Election Commission of India, has been procured by top Pakistani militants operating in Kashmir sending alarm bells ringing through the security establishment as the state prepares for elections later this year.

This unprecedented security breach came to light when EC I-cards were found on the bodies of militant commanders Tufail alias Abu Eisa and Abdul Majid alias Osman. The two were killed in an encounter on January 19-20 this year. The Jammu and Kashmir police first thought that these militants had faked the cards but The Sunday Express has learnt that subsequent investigations have shown that the cards were “genuine” and were officially registered with the local Tehsildar who simultaneously functions as the Assistant Electoral Registration Officer.

This startling revelation has turned the scanner on all the 40-lakh I-cards issued by the EC which has already ordered that no fresh cards be issued pending further orders. Photo I-cards for voters were introduced in Jammu and Kashmir during the 2002 Assembly polls.

“We found that the militants had managed these identity cards with the help of an official inside the Electoral Registration office. This was shocking,” said Superintendent of Police Handwara Hasseb Mughal. “There is a very strict procedure that the electoral registration officials have to follow before issuing this identity card. We found that the name and address in the cards were correct. These were actually the names and addresses of genuine residents. One of them was a 60-year-old villager who had never applied for a card. The official in the electoral registration had put a militant’s picture on the card but kept all other identification details intact, “ he said.

The local Patwari has to verify the antecedents of an applicant which then is vetted by another official before the Assistant Electoral Registration officer finally issues the card. Police have arrested election clerk Farooq Ahmad in the Handwara Tehsildar’s office and more arrests are expected.

When contacted, Chief Election Officer of the state B R Sharma told The Sunday Express: “The Election Commission has full knowledge of the Handwara case. The issuance of fresh cards has been stopped. The previous cards were manual and now we are planning to create electronic cards for elections this year. To verify previously issued cards, we are creating a database of all the existing cards. For Jammu, Ladakh and four Assembly constituencies in Srinagar, this has already been done. This will be given to security agencies.”

Official records, accessed by The Sunday Express, show the following I-cards were issued by the Electoral Registration office in Handwara and were recovered from Pakistani and local militant commanders:

•Card number JK 04-060152 was issued to Ghulam Mohammad Sheikh, son of Mohamamd Abdullah of Tumpora, Handwara on April, 13, 2006.

This card was duly signed by Assistant Electoral Registration Officer who is also Tehsildar, Handwara. The police found out the name and the address given in the card as correct, only the picture was different. Sheikh was a 60-year-old villager who had never applied for a voter identity card. The militant commander who had been using this card was Abu Musaib from Pakistan whose picture had been put on the card. Musaib was killed in an operation on February, 26, 2007 at Sodal in Handwara.

• Card number JK 05-017681 was issued to Ghulam Rasool Lone of Kharlgund, Qaziabad in Kupwara on October 8, 2004. This card was signed by Assistant Electoral Registration Officer who is also Tehsildar Handwara. The antecedents provided in the card are genuine except the picture. The card was used by Pakistani militant commander Abu Tufail, who was killed on January 20, 2008 at Mandigam, Handwara.

• Card number JK 04-049263 was issued to Mohammad Yaqoub Wani, son of Mohammad Jamal Wani from Satkuji village in Tehsil Handwara on June 28, 2005. This card is signed by the Electoral Registration officer with his stamp. The antecedents provided in the card are all genuine except the photograph. The picture on the card was that of Pakistani militant commander Abu Sufiyan who was killed in a joint police and 33 Rashtriya Rifles operation at Khan Mohalla Sodal in Handwara.

• On his arrest, Hizbul Mujahideen’s district commander Mudasir Shabir Ganai alias Ilyas was found to have a genuine voter ID card in the name of villager Fayaz Ahmad Malla, son of Ghulam Mohideen of Muqam Handwara. Again, the name and address were correct but the picture was that of the militant.

• Card JK 04-077840 was issued in the name of Ghulam Mohammad War, son of Ahad War of Warpora, Handwara on September, 3, 2002. The picture was that of Pak militant commander Abdul Majid who was killed in an operation on January 20, 2008 at Mandigram in Handwara.

• Card JK 04¿ 053347 was issued to Hilal Ahmad Hajam, son of Abdul Rehman Hajam of Wadipora, Handwara on March 7, 2006. This card was genuine and even the picture had not been changed but Hajam was a local Lashkar militant who was killed in an encounter on January 21, 2008 at Bakiakher crossing.

Deputy Commissioner Kupwara, who is also District Election Officer, Assandyar Khan said: “In 2002 elections, cards were issued in a hurry. Now that the misuse has come to light, we will take serious preventive measures.”

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