Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav launched a sharp attack on the BJP led government, accusing it of subjecting booth-level officers (BLOs) to “inhuman behaviour” by assigning them “impractical” targets for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. He alleged that the mounting pressure on field officials was part of the ruling party’s broader attempt at “electoral manipulation”.
In a statement issued in Lucknow, Yadav said BLOs across Uttar Pradesh were being harassed and pushed into severe mental distress. Calling the treatment “highly condemnable and deeply objectionable”, he warned that the scale of pressure being imposed on these staff members was leading to dangerous consequences.
The former chief minister accused the BJP of failing both to create new employment opportunities and to safeguard existing jobs. Instead, he said, the party had made work conditions so unbearable that employees were being compelled to resign. “The BJP has not created new jobs, but has made existing ones so difficult that people are forced to quit in frustration,” Yadav said.
He argued that the SIR process had become an instrument for a larger “electoral mega-scam”, claiming BLOs were suffering while the ruling party pursued political gains. “It is inhumane to expect BLOs to forget their homes and families and work like machines by giving them impossible targets that cannot be met,” he said, adding that some officials were even risking their lives due to the workload.
Yadav urged BLOs and their families to remain united and to resist the mounting pressure without harming themselves. “Employees across the country should unite and raise their voices against this. We stand with every BLO. We appeal to every BLO to refrain from taking any action that could harm their families under these circumstances,” he said.
The SP chief insisted that officials should not be held responsible for errors stemming from systemic failures. “BLOs are losing their lives due to the failure of the BJP government and the Election Commission,” he said. He warned that the SIR exercise, as currently implemented, was creating unnecessary hurdles for voters. “The right to vote is a constitutional right. Voters should be respected, not humiliated by engaging in the SIR process, which causes numerous problems,” he noted.
Accusing the BJP of attempting to “end voting rights”, Yadav alleged that millions of names in Uttar Pradesh could be struck off the electoral rolls. He said the ruling party was fearful of the PDA (picchda, Dalit, alpsankhyak) coalition of marginalised communities. “The BJP government, fearful of the PDA, is hatching all kinds of conspiracies,” he claimed.
Akhilesh Yadav reiterated his demand that the families of BLOs who died under work pressure receive ₹1 crore in compensation from the Election Commission. “In the arrogance of power, the BJP government is assuming that even if someone dies due to work pressure, it will neither improve its system nor provide any compensation. Our direct appeal to the Election Commission is to provide compensation of ₹1 crore to the dependents of the deceased,” he said. He also announced that the Samajwadi Party would offer ₹2 lakh in assistance to the families.
Calling the situation a deeply painful phase for government employees, Yadav said public resentment against the BJP was at its peak. “While intimidating people, the BJP itself has become afraid. Public anger is at its peak due to the excesses of BJP rule,” he said, adding that the party’s “electoral corruption has physically and mentally broken the BLOs.”
He predicted that if elections were held fairly, even BJP supporters would abandon the ruling party. “If elections are held honestly, even the families of BJP members will not vote for the BJP,” he claimed. “Peace will come if the BJP goes.”
