Kapil Sibal and TMC have raised questions over the death of 33 BLOs during the electoral list revision (SIR) in Bengal. He attributed the deaths to “inhuman pressure” at work and blamed the ECI and the central government for this.
New Delhi: Senior lawyer and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Monday raised sharp questions over the deaths of Booth Level Officers (BLO) during SIR. He alleged that a lot of anger is shown over claims of infiltration, while government employees are allegedly dying under the pressure. X सिब्बल ने लिखा, “SIR. बंगाल के एक और BLO ने आत्महत्या कर ली। पूरे भारत में कुल – 33. अगर एक कथित ‘घुसपैठिया’ आता है, तो वो ठीक नहीं है। अगर 33 BLO मर जाते हैं, तो क्या वो ठीक है?”
Sibal’s post comes amid a growing political controversy in West Bengal, where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier accused the BJP-led central government of using the SIR process to destabilize opposition-ruled states. Mamata Banerjee has claimed that at least 40 people have died due to the stress and pressure associated with this work. Announcing the relief, he said the state government would give an ex-gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh to the families of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh to those admitted to hospital.
On Sunday, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee had alleged that another BLO appointed by the Election Commission committed suicide due to “inhuman pressure” linked to the ongoing SIR in West Bengal. Banerjee claimed that BLO Haradhan Mandal of 249 Ranibandh assembly constituency, part number 206, took his life and blamed his work in a suicide note. On Saturday, a delegation comprising five members of the Trinamool Congress party met the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal.
The TMC said, “The delegation made it clear that such tactics erode public trust and undermine the credibility of the electoral process in Bengal. We demanded that the CEO-WB implement the legal process without any fear or favour, and protect every eligible citizen from being unfairly and conspiratorially excluded. We stand to protect the democratic rights of Bengal. No force, any conspiracy, or any BJP-ECI machinery should stop the voice of the people or “Their votes will not be allowed to be erased.” Meanwhile, the ECI had completed the Special Intensive Revision of electoral lists as part of preparations for the next West Bengal Assembly elections to be held in March-April 2026.