Tragedy Strikes Election Officials During Intensive Revision Drive
In a distressing development during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, two Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have died in separate incidents across Uttar Pradesh. The tragic events have highlighted the immense pressure faced by election officials during the crucial voter list updating process.
First-Time BLO Takes Extreme Step in Moradabad
Sarvesh Singh, a 46-year-old resident of Baheri village in Moradabad, ended his life by hanging himself in the early hours of the morning. According to police reports, Singh's wife Babli discovered her husband's body around 4 am.
Circle Officer Ashish Pratap Singh from Thakurdwara confirmed that Sarvesh Singh had left behind a suicide note explicitly stating his inability to cope with the burden of BLO duties. The officer revealed that Singh had been assigned the BLO responsibility for the first time on October 7, making him relatively new to the demanding role.
In his final message, Singh expressed feeling suffocated by the workload and complained about insufficient time to complete the tasks assigned to him. His body has been sent for post-mortem examination as authorities continue their investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
Woman BLO Succumbs to Cardiac Arrest After Late-Night Work
In a separate but equally tragic incident, 56-year-old Shobharani, serving as BLO for booth number 97 in Mohalla Badwan of Dhampur area in Bijnor, died of cardiac arrest at a Moradabad hospital.
According to her husband Kripal Saini, Shobharani had been unwell for some time while managing her diabetes condition. Despite her health issues, she continued working late into Friday night, uploading Special Intensive Revision forms online as part of her election duties.
The situation took a critical turn when she experienced severe chest pain later that night and was immediately rushed to the hospital, where she unfortunately passed away.
District Programme Officer Vimal Chaubey, however, denied any work-related pressure contributing to her death, noting that Shobharani was also employed as an Anganwadi worker.
Election Commission Responds with Extended Timeline
These tragic incidents occur against the backdrop of similar reports emerging from several states where BLOs have either committed suicide or died under unnatural circumstances during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision process. The affected states include Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh among the 12 states where SIR is currently underway.
In response to the mounting concerns, the Election Commission announced on Sunday a one-week extension to the entire schedule of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
The revised timeline now extends form distribution until December 11 instead of the original December 4 deadline. Accordingly, the draft electoral rolls will be published on December 16 rather than December 9, while the final voters' list will be released on February 14, 2026, instead of February 7.
The Election Commission had initially announced the Special Intensive Revision in these states and union territories on October 27, setting in motion the extensive process that has now claimed two lives in Uttar Pradesh alone.
