Paw-lling Error: Golden Retriever named ‘Dog Babu’ Gets Voter-Ready in Bihar

In a curious twist that underscores the often-bewildering nature of grassroots bureaucracy, a Golden Retriever named —Dog Babu, was recently issued a residence certificate in Patna amid Bihar’s ongoing voter list review ahead of the elections.

The canine’s unexpected entry into official records has sparked both amusement and concern, offering yet another glimpse into the administrative eccentricities of a state often described, half in jest, as “not for beginners.”

Authorities concerned cancelled his certificate within minutes of its issuance, attributing the lapse to a “mischievous element.”

However, that did little to stop the document — and its unlikely recipient, Dog Babu — from going viral across the internet.

Issued via the Bihar government’s Right to Public Service portal, the certificate was digitally signed by revenue officer Murari Chauhan and appeared complete in every detail.

It listed the dog’s name as “Dog Babu,” his father as “Kutta Babu,” and mother as “Kutiya Devi,” with an address placing him in the Masaurhi post office area.

An investigation into the matter revealed that the certificate was linked to documents originally belonging to a woman from Delhi.

Her Aadhaar card and other documents had been uploaded to the portal, indicating that someone tampered with her data to generate the fake certificate.

Patna District Magistrate Thiyagarajan described the matter as “very serious”.

“Some mysterious element has made such an attempt. The certificate was issued on July 24 at 3.56 pm and was immediately cancelled within two minutes at 3.58 pm. Whoever is involved in this, whoever has made the recommendation, an FIR is being filed against them, and action is being taken against them. They have been suspended. Through the cyber police station, we are also trying to find who did this and why such an application was filed. We will investigate and take action against all those who are behind this,” the official said.

Dog Babu’s residence certificate sparked a flurry of reactions on social media — ranging from sharp criticism over lax verification protocols to tongue-in-cheek humour. While many questioned how such a lapse could occur in the official system, others turned it into an internet spectacle.

What amplified the controversy was its timing. The incident unfolded amid a heated political row over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of voter lists in Bihar.

Opposition parties have alleged that the revision process is being misused to disenfranchise legitimate voters — a claim that now seems all the more pointed, given that an imaginary dog was able to secure official documentation with ease.

Masaurhi’s Sub-Divisional Officer, Prabhat Ranjan, condemned the episode as a “cheap joke” and a serious case of tampering with government records. Sources in his office noted that applying a digital signature — as seen on Dog Babu’s certificate — is not possible without access to an officer’s official dongle, a secure device required for authentication.

In an official statement, the Patna District Administration confirmed the cancellation of the document and said that strict action is underway.

“Departmental and disciplinary action will be taken against the guilty employees and officers,” the statement added.