AAP blames Centre, Election Commission for deaths of 25 BLOs during voter list revision

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday accused the Central Government and the Election Commission of India (ECI) of being responsible for the deaths of over 25 Booth-Level Officers (BLOs) during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists. The party claimed the officials died due to extreme pressure and mental harassment linked to the verification work.

A ‘Shraddhanjali Sabha’ was held at Subhash Chauraha in Prayagraj, led by AAP’s Uttar Pradesh incharge and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, to pay tribute to the deceased officials.

Speaking at the event, Singh said, “This ‘sabha’ (meeting) is a tribute to those BLOs whose lives were lost due to the authoritarianism of the Modi-led government and the EC.” He cited examples from Fatehpur, Lucknow and Gonda, alleging that the stress caused by the SIR process resulted in deaths by brain haemorrhage, work-related collapses and suicide.

He said, “These are not deaths, but murder.”

Singh further alleged that the SIR exercise was politically motivated and linked to a larger electoral agenda. “PM Modi wants 400 seats to dismantle the Constitution and end reservations; the SIR process is the groundwork for that target,” he added.

Calling the exercise discriminatory, he said, “Muslims, Yadavs, Kurmis, Pasis and several other communities in UP are being placed in the ‘C category’ under the SIR process.”

Singh demanded accountability from both the Centre and the EC. “A murder case must be filed against the Chief Election Commissioner for the deaths of the BLOs,” he said, while seeking financial support for their families. “The government must grant Rs 1 crore compensation and a government job to one family member of every deceased BLO.”

Warning of more casualties, Singh stated, “If the SIR process is not stopped immediately, there will be no limit to how many more lives may be lost.”

Several district and state AAP leaders were present at the event.