Opposition Blasts UP Government Over SIR Process, Citing BLO Deaths and Administrative Lapses

Lucknow | December 24, 2025 The Uttar Pradesh government faced sharp criticism from the opposition in the state Assembly on Tuesday over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with Congress and other parties alleging mismanagement, undue pressure on government staff, and potential voter deletion under the guise of SIR. Lawmakers raised serious concerns after the deaths of 10 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) who were involved in the process. Aradhana Mishra, leader of the UP Congress legislative party, accused the government of conducting the SIR process in haste, without providing proper training or arrangements for the employees tasked with the work. She described the pressure placed on BLOs as “inhuman,” and said the resulting mental stress contributed to the tragic deaths of the officials. Mishra also questioned discrepancies in voter data, pointing out that while the Chief Minister had claimed around four crore voters were missing, the Election Commission’s records indicated the number was closer to 2.92 crore. She urged the government to provide support to the families of the deceased, including government jobs equivalent to the positions held by the officers. Finance Minister Suresh Khanna responded by stating that all officials involved in the SIR process were on deputation with the Election Commission under Section 13(cc) of the Representation of the People Act. He expressed sympathy for the deceased but emphasized that the circumstances surrounding the deaths would require investigation. Khanna added that as UP government representatives, the rights of these officials and their families are protected under existing law. Nagina MLA Manoj Kumar Paras criticized the truncated timeline of the current SIR exercise, contrasting it with previous revisions that spanned over a year, including the process from 2002 to 2004. He called for ₹1 crore compensation for the families of the deceased BLOs, noting that the rushed procedure, conducted within a few weeks without adequate training, placed an enormous burden on staff. Barabanki MLA Gaurav Rawat further claimed that in practice, the SIR process resembled a step toward implementing the National Register of Citizens, raising concerns about voter deletion and disenfranchisement. Sangram Singh Yadav, another MLA, highlighted ongoing issues with reservation in government jobs, alleging multiple scams since 2017 and police action against protesters seeking justice. The opposition’s interventions on Tuesday underscored rising tensions between lawmakers and the state government over administrative accountability, worker safety, and voter rights. Mishra and other leaders emphasized that careful planning, adequate training, and strict monitoring are essential to prevent such tragedies and ensure that electoral revisions are carried out fairly. With investigations into the deaths ongoing, Assembly members demanded immediate action to address procedural flaws, support bereaved families, and restore confidence in the electoral and administrative machinery of the state. Lawmakers stressed that proper systems must be in place to safeguard employees and citizens alike while upholding transparency in government initiatives. Opposition Blasts UP Government Over SIR Process, Citing BLO Deaths and Administrative Lapses The Uttar Pradesh government came under heavy criticism in the Assembly on Tuesday over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Opposition leaders raised serious concerns after the deaths of 10 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) involved in the process, alleging that rushed work and lack of proper training contributed to the tragedies. Aradhana Mishra, UP Congress legislative party leader, said the SIR was conducted in a very short time without proper arrangements, putting enormous mental pressure on BLOs. She also highlighted discrepancies in voter data, pointing out that while the Chief Minister claimed four crore voters were missing, the Election Commission recorded only about 2.92 crore. Mishra held the government responsible for the deaths and demanded support for the families, including government jobs equivalent to the positions held by the deceased. Finance Minister Suresh Khanna defended the administration, saying all officials were on deputation with the Election Commission under the Representation of the People Act. He expressed sympathy for the deceased but noted that investigations were needed to determine the exact cause of the deaths. Khanna emphasized that the rights of the officers and their families are protected under the law. Other opposition MLAs added to the criticism. Nagina MLA Manoj Kumar Paras said the SIR process was rushed, unlike previous exercises that lasted over a year, and demanded ₹1 crore compensation for the families. Barabanki MLA Gaurav Rawat warned that the process resembled steps toward implementing the National Register of Citizens, raising concerns about voter deletion. Sangram Singh Yadav spoke about ongoing reservation issues and alleged scams in government jobs, highlighting protests that were met with police action. The opposition’s criticism underscores growing concerns over worker safety, administrative accountability, and transparency in voter-related processes. Lawmakers stressed that proper planning, training, and monitoring are essential to prevent such incidents in the future.