Bihar Voter List Error Sparks Political Storm: Minta Devi Is 35, Not 124

The political controversy over Bihar's voter list took a surprising twist when, as per media reports, Minta Devi - the woman at the centre of a heated protest - was found to be alive, 35 years old, and already a registered voter, not the alleged 124 years claimed by opposition leaders.

The storm began when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi showcased her case as an example of voter list mismanagement. Opposition MPs, including Priyanka Gandhi, staged a protest outside Parliament wearing T-shirts with Minta Devi's photo, the words "MINTA DEVI" on the front, and "124 Not Out" on the back - suggesting she had been falsely recorded as one of the world's oldest people on the electoral roll.

The claim triggered outrage, with opposition leaders accusing the Election Commission of negligence and undermining democratic credibility. However, investigations revealed a different story. During a special voter list revision, a Booth Level Officer had mistakenly entered Minta Devi's age as 124 instead of her actual 35 years.

While the error was clerical, the political ripples were anything but small. The opposition continues to demand accountability from electoral authorities, saying such mistakes highlight systemic flaws in the voter roll update process.

For Minta Devi, the sudden national attention has been surreal - her face now printed on protest T-shirts and circulating across social media. What began as a supposed case of voter fraud has instead become a stark reminder of how a single clerical error can ignite a nationwide political storm.