UP SIR: Asked to remove 86 Muslim names from electoral roll, claims BLO

Amid the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process of the electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh, a Booth Level Officer (BLO) claimed that a person named Dharmendra Maurya objected to the inclusion of 86 Muslim names in the roll, via Form 7, despite all 86 individuals being alive.

Speaking to reporters, BLO Prashad Yadav, from Shahi in Bareilly, said that he received the form at night from Maurya. “When I saw the names on the list, I realised that the people mentioned are all alive and present at their locations.”

Maurya reportedly told him that he received the list of names from the tehsil. “I was then told to take it into consideration and investigate it.”

When asked who Dharminder Maurya is, the BLO said he is a resident of another locality.

“I only get the forms, with the order to conduct a review,” he said, adding that Maurya has spoken to him on multiple occasions regarding Form 7, an application under the ECI used to object to, or request the deletion of a name from the existing electoral roll.

He then confirmed that the form included only Muslim names.

“The names are all Muslims, no Hindu. And all of them are alive and present,” the BLO said, adding that he will report the action.

The video of the BLO speaking to reporters was widely shared by Opposition members on social media. Congress said that ‘vote theft’ is being played with Modi’s permission and that the Election Commission has “sworn to destroy democracy.”

“Under the pretext of SIR in Uttar Pradesh, Muslims’ names are being removed from the voter list,” the X post read.

“Every day such cases are coming to light, where BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) workers are trying to get large numbers of Muslim voters’ names removed. When BLOs refuse, they are beaten up and openly threatened with being removed from their jobs. This filthy game of ‘vote chori’ is being played with the consent of Narendra Modi and the Election Commission — these people have sworn to destroy democracy,” the party said.