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Software translated names instead of spelling them out, leaving 158 odd entries on UP’s Council poll voter list. Here are the names, the row and what voters should know.
Officials found irregularities in 10,470 voter-detail entries in Pilibhit, all fed in by one computer assistant between May 31 and August 29, 2026.
A voter named Ramhit Yadav appeared as ‘Ram Ne Yadav Ko Mara’ — ‘Ram hit Yadav’ — on the voter list for Uttar Pradesh’s Legislative Council elections. The Election Commission blames software, not mischief. At least 158 odd entries have sparked memes, an inquiry and, in Pilibhit, action against officials.
Voting for 11 Legislative Council seats, five graduate and six teacher constituencies, is on October 23, with 152 candidates in the fray. The Council is the state’s upper house, and only graduates and teachers vote for these seats.
The voter slips are now doing the rounds online, with the Election Commission, the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the BJP all trading complaints.
What Went Wrong With The Names?
The Chief Electoral Officer’s office said online registration was used for the first time for these rolls. Names typed in English were converted into Hindi by software, and that is where it slipped, Aaj Tak reported.
Instead of transliteration, which copies how a name sounds, the software ran a translation, which swaps in meanings.
Typed as ‘Ram hit Yadav’, the name came out as ‘Ram ne Yadav ko mara’. News18 Hindi reporter’s check of the 14,81,310-name list found at least 158 such entries.
The commission has called one voter’s father’s name, entered as ‘B Com’, human error or negligence.
Why Did It Go Viral?
Because the names read like punchlines. ‘Murkh Chand’ translates to ‘Idiot Chand’, ‘Takkar Marna’ means ‘to ram or collide’, and ‘Ali Ke Paas Hai’ means ‘Ali has it’.
Several Opposition leaders shared them online, though The Print noted that the authenticity of some entries has not been independently verified. Behind the memes sits a serious question: if a list can hold such entries, how carefully was it checked before it reached lakhs of voters?
| Entry | What happened | Authorities’ response | Public and political reaction |
|---|---|---|---|
| ‘Ram Ne Yadav Ko Mara’ (Ram hit Yadav) | Name of a voter, Ramhit Yadav, turned into a sentence by software translation | CEO office blamed a software glitch, but said it cannot excuse the lapse; DMs asked to explain | Became the face of the row; SP candidate Man Singh Yadav flagged the slips |
| ‘Murkh Chand Yadav’ (Idiot Chand Yadav) | Allegedly appeared in a father’s-name column, per the SP candidate’s complaint | Jhansi divisional commissioner (ERO) asked for a report by Thursday afternoon; contents not yet public | Shared by Opposition leaders; authenticity not independently verified |
| ‘B.Com’ as father’s name | A degree entered where a father’s name should be | Commission called it human error or negligence; DMs told to ensure no voter is inconvenienced | SP candidate sarcastically said the list looked prepared by someone drunk |
| ‘Takkar Marna’ (to ram or collide) | Among the odd entries found on the list | Covered by the wider inquiry into the 158 entries | Circulated online; authenticity not independently verified |
| ‘Mohammad Pagal Rehan’ | Appeared in social media posts | No entry-specific response reported | Circulated online; unverified |
| ‘Ali Ke Paas Hai’ (Ali has it) | Among the odd entries found on the list | Covered by the wider inquiry | No specific reaction reported |
Who Is Answerable?
The divisional commissioner is the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) for these seats, and district magistrates are assistant EROs. Keeping the list error-free is their job.
The commission said a way to fix software errors existed but vigilance was missing, and has sought explanations from the officials concerned. DMs have also been asked why the data was not physically verified before final publication.
Is There A Bigger Row In Pilibhit?
Separately, officials found irregularities in 10,470 voter-detail entries in Pilibhit, all fed in by one computer assistant between May 31 and August 29, 2026.
News18 Hindi learnt that the application forms and supporting documents could not be found in the office. The computer operator, Anil Kumar, has been dismissed, and legal action has been directed against two current and former registration officers.
Aaj Tak reported that SDMs Mayank Goswami and Hemant Chaudhary face a departmental inquiry and have been attached to district headquarters. Action under Section 32 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 has been ordered. The officials’ side has not been reported, and the allegations remain under inquiry.
The Congress alleged more than 16,000 voters were affected, The Print reported, while Aaj Tak put the number of voters sharing identical EPIC (voter ID) numbers at 13,150.
Where Do The Parties Stand?
SP’s sitting MLC Dr Man Singh Yadav, a candidate from the Allahabad-Jhansi graduate seat, complained to the district magistrate over the slips.
He sarcastically remarked that the list looked prepared by someone under the influence of alcohol, The Print reported. The BJP, meanwhile, claimed 4,397 duplicate entries in the same constituency, 3,163 of them in Prayagraj.
Can People Still Vote?
Yes. The commission has said no genuine voter will be stopped over a spelling or father’s-name error. Presiding officers have been told to let voters with valid ID cast their ballots.
Quick Answers
Ask News18The Chief Electoral Officer’s office explained that online registration was used for the first time, and software erroneously ran a translation instead of a transliteration when converting English-typed names into Hindi. For example, ‘Ram hit Yadav’ was mistakenly translated into Hindi as ‘Ram ne Yadav ko mara’.
Ask News18About the Author
Sumedha Kirti is a Chief Sub Editor with over eight years of experience — both at the desk and reporting. She is a graduate from Delhi University’s Miranda House. Kirti has previously worked with news…Read More
October 23, 2026, 10:56 IST
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