Patna: In an unusual attempt to mock official systems, a prankster applied for a residence certificate in the name of Donald Trump, claiming he was a resident of Hasanpur village in Bihar’s Samastipur district. The mischief, however, failed to amuse local authorities, who swiftly ordered a First Information Report (FIR) to be lodged to trace and penalise the impersonator.

According to a statement issued by the district administration, the online application was submitted on July 29, and was rejected on August 4 by the relevant revenue department official. The application included a photograph of the US President and even listed his real parents’ names Frederick Christ Trump and Mary Anne MacLeod, in what appears to have been an effort to lend the claim some false legitimacy.

‘Attempt to derail electoral roll revision’

The district administration suggested the act was more than mere mischief.

“It appears there is a diabolical attempt to negatively impact the special intensive revision of electoral rolls which is underway as per the instructions of the Election Commission,” the statement read.

This case is the fourth of its kind reported in Bihar since the Election Commission launched its massive voter roll verification exercise in June.

Dogs, tractors, and now the US President

Earlier, authorities received similar frivolous applications in rural parts of Patna and Nawada under the names of two dogs ‘Dog Babu’ and ‘Dogesh Babu’. In East Champaran, an application was filed in the name of a ‘Sonalika tractor’, accompanied by a photo of a Bhojpuri film actress. All such applications were rejected, and FIRs have been registered in each case at the local police stations.

In the case of the ‘Donald Trump’ application, the Samastipur administration confirmed that a case has now been lodged at the Cyber Police Station, Samastipur, to enable a thorough investigation and legal action.

Congress calls it proof of SIR being a ‘fraud’

The incident has sparked strong political responses, with leaders such as Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra and Congress’s Randeep Singh Surjewala criticising the Election Commission and raising concerns over the credibility of the Special Summary Revision (SIR) process underway in Bihar.

The incident drew political attention when senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala shared a news clip suggesting that a certificate had actually been issued based on the prank application.

“This is the biggest proof that electoral roll revision in Bihar is a fraud, aimed at stealing votes. The Congress and Rahul Gandhi are fighting to thwart this design. Keeping quiet in such a situation is a crime. Let us all raise our voices and become watchdogs of democracy,” Surjewala asserted.

In response, the Samastipur administration clarified that no certificate had been issued.

“Somebody has deliberately made such an application and it was rejected during scrutiny. An FIR has also been lodged. The guilty will not be spared,” the statement said.

(with PTI inputs)