Intensifying the row around the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR), Jharkhand Minister Irfan Ansari has now said that people should take the booth level officers (BLOs) hostage when they arrive at their doorstep for the exercise. The Congress minister was addressing people in a programme where he charged against the revision of voter rolls ongoing in 12 states and Union Territories (UTs).
In the video, Ansari is heard telling people that the exercise is meant to cut people’s names from voter roll and Aadhaar cards. “They will cut your name from Aadhaar, and then you will lose your bank accounts,” Ansari said.
“It is being done in other states, it will also happen in Jharkhand…I am telling, if the BLOs come at your doorstep to cut your name, you lock them up in your house and report to me. I will then open the door,” the minister further added.
Ansari cites Bihar SIR as example
The Jharkhand Health Minister went on to allege that in Bihar, the Election Commission of India (ECI), through SIR, deleted the names of 65 lakh people. Notably, this 65 lakh is the number which was shared by the poll panel in the Supreme Court after the draft roll was prepared.
However, in the final roll, the ECI said total exclusion stood at 42 lakhs and not 65 lakh.
Row over SIR
The ECI announced the overall revision of electoral roll in 12 states/UTs, with the deadline to fill the enumeration form on December 4, 2025. However, the deaths of BLOs in multiple states have raised alarm with workers and political parties contending that the timeline of the entire exercise is not adequate.
Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin and many others have complained to the ECI about the stress that the BLOs are enduring due to the short time span for the exercise.