Jharkhand SIR: BJP workers pressuring BLOs to delete voters’ names, alleges INDIA bloc

As the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls nears completion in several states, the INDIA bloc in Jharkhand has alleged that BJP workers are using pressure and intimidation to get the names of Muslim voters deleted from the rolls.

The allegations have assumed particular significance in Godda constituency, represented by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, where a pattern has emerged of BJP’s Booth Level Agents (BLAs) submitting Form 7 applications seeking the deletion of voters’ names.

According to the INDIA bloc, a large proportion of the names targeted through these applications belong to the minority community.

Besides, the BJP workers allegedly also approached Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and pressured them to act on the applications seeking deletion of Muslim voters.

However, in an unusual development, some BLOs reportedly refused to accept the applications, flagging them as either not genuine or procedurally deficient.

BLOs are state government employees, while the Jharkhand government is headed by a JMM-Congress alliance. Following complaints over the applications, the district election authorities in Godda have initiated an inquiry and sought a report on the Form-7 submissions.

The issue was also raised on Thursday by the INDIA bloc. A delegation led by the Congress met Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer K Ravi Kumar and submitted a memorandum alleging that BJP workers in several districts were pressuring BLOs to delete the names of specific voters through Form-7 applications.

The delegation included Jharkhand Congress leaders, including state unit president Keshav Mahto Kamlesh, besides representatives of the RJD and CPI(ML) Liberation.

Responding to the allegations, Kumar said the SIR exercise was being conducted transparently and that the names of eligible voters could not be deleted.

“The SIR process is transparent. Eligible voters’ names cannot be deleted. The details of Form-6 or Form-7, such as the number of forms received and names of voters, among others, can be checked through the website,” Kumar said according to media reports.

Form-7 is used to seek deletion of a name from an electoral roll-on specified grounds.

The Jharkhand allegations come amid a wider political confrontation over the SIR exercise, with opposition parties accusing the Election Commission of facilitating large-scale voter deletions.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi have accused the BJP of attempting to undermine democracy through the ECI. They have called the ECI - the “vote chori aayog”.

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal meanwhile also attacked the Election Commission, alleging that it was helping the BJP win elections and urging the Supreme Court to intervene against what he termed “bulk deletions”.

“Politics of exclusion. BJP agents: Target Muslims, seek bulk deletions. Supreme Court needs to stop this!” Sibal said in a post on X.

“SIR is an exercise: To manipulate the voters list. Help BJP win elections!” he alleged.

Nearly 16.5 per cent of Jharkhand’s voters have been left out of the draft electoral rolls published on 5 August following the enumeration phase of the ongoing Special SIR of electoral rolls.

Of the 43.6 lakh names excluded from the draft rolls, more than 7 lakh were of deceased voters, over 14 lakh were classified as untraceable and more than 15 lakh voters were found to have permanently shifted out of the state, Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer K Ravi Kumar said. Another 1.16 lakh voters did not return their enumeration forms to Booth Level Officers (BLOs), having refused to sign them, he said.