21 Election Officials Face Legal Action in Ghaziabad
In a significant development that has sent shockwaves through the administrative circles of Ghaziabad, police have taken legal action against 21 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) for their alleged negligence in carrying out election-related duties. The case was registered on Thursday under the stringent Representation of People Act, highlighting the seriousness of the charges.
Details of the Case and Official Statements
The First Information Report (FIR) was filed based on a formal complaint submitted by Alok Kumar Yadav, who serves as the Station House Officer of Sihani Gate Police Station in Ghaziabad. According to the complaint documents, the BLOs showed "negligence in digitization" and failed to provide "full cooperation and contribution in election related work."
Ghaziabad District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Mandar confirmed the development and expressed his disappointment with the progress of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. "We have registered FIR against 21 BLOs as this was an important election work and the entire machinery was involved in this," Mandar stated during his interaction with reporters.
The District Magistrate revealed startling statistics about the current status of the revision work. "There were 3,089 booths in Ghaziabad, which has over 28 lakh voters, adding that only 30% of the SIR-related work has been completed," he disclosed. This poor performance comes despite the month-long SIR exercise being scheduled to conclude on December 4.
Challenges and Intent Behind the FIR
The FIR document contains strong language, accusing some officials of "deliberately obstructing the election process" by not providing the required cooperation. However, District Magistrate Mandar clarified that the primary intention behind filing the case was not punitive but corrective.
"We had directed all the BLOs to collect forms. The motive of the FIR was not to punish them but to teach them sincerity. If they finish the work, the FIR would be taken back," Mandar explained, offering a ray of hope for the accused officials.
While emphasizing the importance of accountability, the DM also acknowledged the practical challenges faced by election officials in Ghaziabad. "As Ghaziabad is an industrial area and there are several people staying on rent, finding them was difficult," he noted, recognizing the unique demographic challenges of the district.
The case has brought into focus the critical role that Booth Level Officers play in maintaining the integrity of electoral rolls, especially in rapidly developing urban centers like Ghaziabad where population mobility presents significant challenges to election administration.
