BJP, RSS-linked persons appointed as SIR assistants in MP's Datia; collector calls it 'mistake'

Bhopal: Individuals linked to the BJP-RSS were appointed as assistants to Booth-Level Officers (BLOs) in Madhya Pradesh's Datia district for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls with the collector on Monday calling it a 'mistake' and seeking explanation from officials.

The Datia administration admitted that names of some politically-affiliated persons were 'mistakenly' added as BLO assistants, but said the lapse was not intended to be malicious and their names are being removed from the list.

As per the list, each BLO has been assigned two to three assistants for carrying out the state-wide exercise.

The door-to-door enumeration under the Election Commission-mandated SIR of electoral rolls began across Madhya Pradesh on November 4 and will continue till December 4. Draft rolls will be published on December 9.

The Opposition Congress alleged some BLA assistants were associated with the ruling BJP.

Datia collector Swapnil Wankhade told PTI that three names were wrongly included in the list of BLA assistants.

"I did not issue the order. It was issued by the SDM (sub-divisional magistrate) of the Datia assembly (constituency). He received the list from officials, and three names were included incorrectly," he maintained.

The collector informed he had issued a notice to the SDM, who subsequently issued notices to the officials concerned.

"These persons are being removed from the list. Different departments had sent names for assistants and three names were added by mistake. There was no mala fide intention. The official (SDM) had no such intention, but he made a mistake. We have asked him to explain how it happened," asserted Wankhade.

Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari shared on social media platform X a list issued by the office of the Sub-Divisional Officer (or SDM) and Electoral Registration Officer of Datia district, claiming four of the appointed assistants were linked to the BJP.

The former state minister marked the names of the four alleged BJP office-bearers in the list even as he slammed the Datia district administration and the saffron party.

Patwari alleged, "After the Election Commission, the administration, too, is now seen dancing like an open puppet of those in power and the ruling organisation! The official order issued by the Datia collector appointing several BJP office-bearers, including a former mandal president, as BLO assistants under the name of SIR is the most disgraceful example of pressure from those in power." He said the BJP government called SIR a 'constitutional process', but every constitutional mechanism was being turned into a tool to implement the party's agenda.

"SIR being coloured in BJP's shade is an insult to democracy. The Congress will not allow this ploy to succeed. We are alert to protect the rights of every voter," Patwari insisted.

When PTI called on the mobile phone numbers of the marked assistants, one of them admitted association with the BJP, while another said he was linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

One of the BLO assistants, Bobby Raja Bundela, said he was associated with the RSS, while another, Manish Mishra, said he had been linked to the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the BJP's youth wing, in Bhandoni town.

It may be noted that BLO is a local government/semi-government official, familiar with the local electors and generally a voter in the same polling area who assists in updating the roll using his local knowledge.

In fact, BLO is a representative of EC at the grassroots level who plays a pivotal role in the process of roll revision and collecting actual field information with regard to the roll corresponding to the polling area assigned to him.