Daijiworld Media Network - Jaipur

Jaipur, Jan 16: A booth-level officer (BLO) in Rajasthan has alleged severe mental harassment and political pressure after being asked to delete Muslim voters from electoral rolls in a constituency where the BJP secured victory by a slender margin in the 2023 assembly elections.

Kirti Kumar, a BLO in Jaipur’s Hawa Mahal assembly constituency, claimed he has been pushed beyond his capacity following objections filed by the BJP seeking deletion of 470 voters — nearly 40 per cent of voters in his booth — from the draft electoral rolls published after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), according to a report by News Laundry. He alleged that the objections specifically target Muslim voters, all of whom, he said, had already been verified during the SIR process.

The issue came to light after a video clip of Kumar went viral on social media, in which he is heard shouting during a phone call, threatening to kill himself at the collector’s office due to the pressure he was facing. In the same clip, he is allegedly heard telling BJP councillor Suresh Saini, “Maybe I should remove voters from the entire basti, that can help you as well as Maharaj win the election comfortably.”

“Maharaj” is reportedly a reference to BJP MLA Balmukund Acharya, who won from Hawa Mahal — a Muslim-majority constituency — by just 974 votes in the 2023 elections. Acharya, the chief priest of Jaipur’s Dakshinmukhiji Balaji Temple, has since courted repeated controversy over actions and remarks allegedly targeting Muslims.

Kumar, who is also a government school teacher, said the SIR exercise had already affected his students and academic responsibilities. He alleged that he is now being forced to process 470 objection forms within two days, a task he said would take at least 78 hours and require repeating the entire verification process on the ground.

“This means going back to the field again to verify voters. It is like repeating the entire exercise. I cannot do this. We were already exhausted during the SIR. BJP politicians are threatening us, saying they will get us suspended. I have informed my seniors that I cannot carry out this work,” Kumar was quoted as saying.

The News Laundry report also highlighted that at least three BLOs have died in Rajasthan in recent months amid allegations of excessive work pressure and flaws in the SIR process, including technical glitches and inadequate training.

Meanwhile, BLOs from at least five neighbouring booths, where the majority of voters are Hindu, reportedly said they had not received any objections.

Saraswati Meena, a BLO from another booth in the same area, said objections were filed against 158 voters in her booth as well. She alleged that all objections were raised by BJP agents and targeted Muslim voters who had already been verified. “We have completed their verification under the SIR. This is wrong. We cannot be pressured like this,” she said.

(Those experiencing suicidal thoughts can seek help through health helpline 104 or Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline at 044-24640050.)