Akhilesh Yadav Raises Alarms Over BLO Deaths Amid Voter Reforms Debate

In Parliament, SP leader Akhilesh Yadav highlighted concerns over Booth Level Officers' deaths during voter roll revisions, demanding financial aid for affected families and advocating a return to ballot paper elections. Meanwhile, Congress MP Manish Tewari criticized the Election Commission, urging reform in its member selection process for increased neutrality.

Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav raised serious concerns in Parliament this Tuesday over the deaths of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) involved in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh. Yadav called on the central government to provide financial and institutional support to the families affected. Additionally, he reiterated his party's demand for the use of ballot papers in elections, citing persistent suspicions regarding electronic voting systems.

During a fruitful discussion on electoral reforms in the Lok Sabha, Yadav disclosed that 10 BLOs have died in the state during the SIR process so far. He demanded an ex-gratia payment of Rs 1 crore for the families of the deceased and urged that a government job be offered to one family member of each deceased officer. Emphasizing the need for transparent elections, the SP Chief reasserted his party's stance on the reintroduction of ballot papers due to widespread skepticism about electronic voting technologies.

In a parallel development, Congress MP Manish Tewari accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of lacking neutrality and questioned its legal authority in conducting voter list revisions. Addressing the lower House, Tewari suggested amending laws regarding the selection of ECC members, proposing the inclusion of the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India in the selection committee. He critiqued the ongoing electoral reforms, arguing that the ECI lacks the legal mandate for the SIR process, which is currently underway across various states.

(With inputs from agencies.)