The Noida administration has registered FIRs against more than 60 booth-level officers (BLOs) and seven supervisors across three police stations for alleged negligence and disobedience during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The action was initiated under Section 32 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, The Indian Express reported.
Acting on orders from District Magistrate and District Election Officer Medha Rupam, Sub-Divisional Magistrates of the three Noida Assembly segments lodged FIRs naming BLOs who had allegedly failed to comply with instructions during the one-month enumeration phase of SIR-II.
The revision process is underway in nine states and three Union Territories and is scheduled to conclude on December 4.
Unlike the Bihar pilot, this phase requires BLOs to verify details on forms with past electoral rolls at the enumeration stage itself.
According to the Noida administration, several BLOs “did not report to their assigned areas” and “failed to adhere to orders issued by senior officials”, despite repeated instructions and warnings.
Four FIRs have been filed so far: two in Dadri, naming 18 officials, including 12 anganwadi workers and government school teachers in one case, and six supervisors in the other. In Greater Noida’s Ecotech Phase 1 police station, an FIR was lodged against 33 BLOs and one supervisor, while Jewar police station registered a case against 17 BLOs. Each FIR has been filed by the area SDM acting as the local electoral registration officer (ERO).
A statement issued from the DM’s “War Room” said strict action was being taken in accordance with instructions from the Election Commission of India (ECI). On Saturday, DM Rupam held a review meeting with Sector and Zonal Magistrates, directing them to ensure an “effective, transparent and time-bound” completion of the revision process.
She warned that any delay or negligence would attract notices, demands for clarification, salary withholding or disciplinary action.
In Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich district, two BLOs have been suspended for alleged negligence and a third has been booked following a complaint by BJP leader Ankit Kumar Singh, The news website reported.
Basic Shiksha Adhikari Ashish Kumar Singh said Shama Nafees, a primary school headmistress assigned as a BLO, repeatedly ignored written notices and phone calls directing her to report for duty.
An assistant teacher, Anurag, allegedly refused to perform responsibilities assigned under the SIR exercise.
Meanwhile, a case has been registered against BLO Abhishek Singh after the BJP complainant alleged that Singh used objectionable language during a phone call seeking information on SIR form distribution, claiming the incident harmed the party’s reputation.
Police said the complainant submitted a call recording and chat logs. The FIR has been lodged under sections relating to provocation, intimidation and defamation.
This spate of FIRs and disciplinary actions comes amid escalating controversy surrounding the ECI’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR), currently underway in 12 states and Union Territories.
The drive, launched on November 4 with a December 4 deadline, aims to update voter lists ahead of upcoming elections by distributing enumeration forms to more than 7.66 crore voters in West Bengal alone.
The exercise has drawn sharp criticism for placing “inhuman” workloads on BLOs, who are often teachers, anganwadi staff and civic employees.
The newspaper has reported multiple cases of extreme distress among BLOs, including at least nine deaths since the SIR began, with four confirmed suicides in which notes explicitly cited work pressure.
Opposition leaders, including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, have accused the ECI of conducting the exercise in “haste” to benefit ruling parties.
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