Incident Overview
In Sirsa district, Haryana, a Booth-Level Officer (BLO) was allegedly assaulted while performing voter verification duties under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The victim, Harpal Singh, a JBT teacher serving as a BLO, reported that he was beaten and his clothes were torn during a visit to a residence in Nathusari Chopta on Friday.
Harpal Singh was admitted to the community health centre in Nathusari Chopta for treatment following the attack. According to his statement, he and his assistant Deepak Kumar arrived at a house on Bhattu Road around 10:30 am to collect voter verification forms. A woman provided blank forms, after which Singh requested her husband's mobile number, explaining that the forms needed to be completed to prevent voter record deletion.
Allegations and Legal Action
As the BLO team was leaving, the woman's husband, Dharmveer Singh Mothia, allegedly confronted and assaulted Singh without provocation. Singh claimed Mothia tore his clothes, and local residents intervened to stop the assault. Singh later filed a complaint at Chopta police station. Station House Officer (SHO) Pradeep Kumar confirmed that a complaint had been received and the matter is under investigation. "Appropriate action will be taken after the probe," he added.
Pressure on BLOs During SIR Exercise
The SIR exercise places significant pressure on officials to complete voter verification before the deadline. Another teacher working as a BLO in Sirsa, speaking anonymously, noted that many BLOs begin work as early as 7 am, going door-to-door to verify voters. While most residents cooperate, some ask officials to return later, complicating efforts to meet targets within the stipulated timeframe. This incident highlights the challenges faced by election officials in the field.
