BLOs under stress, SIR deadline extension not significant, says Akhilesh
“The Election Commission has not done anything significant by extending the SIR deadline by seven days. In a state like Uttar Pradesh, it is not possible to count and verify 16 crore voters in a month. BLOs are under significant workload, which is impacting their physical and mental health,” the Samajwadi Party president said in a statement issued on Sunday.
Terming the enumeration and verification of over 16 crore voters within a month “impossible”, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said the extension for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls for seven days was insignificant.
The Kannauj MP said the SIR exercise had become a source of trouble for people.
“The Election Commission has not done anything significant by extending the SIR deadline by seven days. In a state like Uttar Pradesh, it is not possible to count and verify 16 crore voters in a month. BLOs are under significant workload, which is impacting their physical and mental health,” Akhilesh said in a statement issued on Sunday.
“The Samajwadi Party had demanded a three-month extension, but the Election Commission paid no attention to this practical and reasonable demand. It appears the Election Commission has become insensitive. It has no concern for the problems faced by voters,” he added.
Questioning the credibility of the poll panel, Akhilesh said, “The Election Commission has lost its credibility, fairness and transparency. It has become an institution working at the behest of the BJP government. During the SIR work in Bihar, millions of people were deprived of their right to vote. A conspiracy is being hatched to delete the opposition’s votes in the upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh. This tampering with the democratic process is unacceptable under any circumstances.”
On the issue of the workload on BLOs, the Samajwadi Party chief said, “So far, over half a dozen BLOs have died in UP. SIR is a very important process, and any shortcomings could lead to loss of all the benefits guaranteed by the Constitution, including the right to vote, citizenship and reservations.”
He reiterated his demand for a three-month extension of the SIR deadline in UP.
“The Election Commission should protect voters’ right to vote. The panel must be vigilant against any conspiracy by the BJP to ensure that voters are not deprived of their right, otherwise it will dent its image further,” Akhilesh said.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav criticized the Election Commission's seven-day extension for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, deeming it inadequate for verifying over 16 crore voters in Uttar Pradesh. He highlighted the heavy workload on Booth Level Officers (BLOs), leading to health issues, and called for a three-month extension to protect voters' rights.