On Tuesday, the third day of the Winter Session, the Legislative Assembly witnessed heated exchanges as the opposition raised the issue of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll. The Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP) termed the campaign a "weapon to weaken the opposition," alleging that votes of poor, Dalit and backward-class citizens are being systematically deleted.

Allegations Of Pressure And BLO Deaths

The opposition claimed that the administrative pressure created for this campaign has been so severe that 10 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have died so far.

Congress Stance: Congress leader Aradhana Mishra Mona stated that the government has not even taken cognisance of these deaths caused by SIR pressure. She highlighted that BLOs were not adequately informed about the process and that the names of newly-married women were being removed in the largest numbers.

Demands: Mishra questioned whether the government would provide jobs to the kin of the deceased and demanded Rs 50 lakh compensation for each family.

SP Stance: SP members Manoj Paras, Gaurav Kumar, Dharmraj Singh Yadav, and Mohd. Hasan Rumi alleged that votes should not be removed based on caste and religion. They accused the Election Commission of conducting the SIR "exactly as the BJP desires" and demanded an extension of the deadline.

Government Response: "Matter Under Election Commission" Responding on behalf of the government, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna offered condolences to the families of the deceased but emphasised that the cause of death is a matter for investigation.

He argued that the issue falls under the jurisdiction of the Election Commission (EC). "As long as the SIR is ongoing, all personnel, from the BLOs up to the District Election Officer, come under the purview of the Election Commission," Khanna stated.

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"Dentist For Knee Pain"

Dismissing the opposition's decision to raise the issue in the Assembly rather than with the EC, Khanna sarcastically remarked, "The pain is in the knee, but you have come to a dentist for treatment."

Regarding the demands for relief, Khanna assured that the family members of the deceased would receive jobs and benefits strictly in accordance with the existing rules for government employees.

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