In the Etawah district of Uttar Pradesh, a Booth Level Officer (BLO) has alleged that he was assaulted and threatened by a man claiming to be a BJP office-bearer, who pressured him to remove Muslim voters from the electoral rolls during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.
The victim, Ashwini Kumar, a teacher assigned as BLO for booth number 323 in Munj, said he was returning from distributing Election Commission notices when a car intercepted his bike. “The person in the car introduced himself as a BJP office-bearer and pressured me to fill Form-7 to remove minority community voters from the list,” Kumar told police. When he refused, citing Election Commission guidelines, the man allegedly grabbed his collar, beat him, and, along with others, snatched official documents from his bag and broke his mobile phone. Kumar said the assailants also threatened to kill him before fleeing.
Kumar, who sustained injuries in the attack, filed a complaint at the Chaubiya police station, prompting an official investigation. Police are examining CCTV footage and questioning witnesses, though no arrests have been made so far.
Local BJP officials have denied any involvement. “The party does not endorse or engage in any such illegal activities. If an individual has done something wrong, the law should take its course,” said a district BJP spokesperson.
The State Election Commission has taken note of the incident. A senior officer, speaking anonymously, said, “We are committed to ensuring a free and fair electoral process. Any coercion or attack on election officials is a serious matter and will be investigated thoroughly.”
Political analysts have warned that the attack could reflect a broader pattern of intimidation aimed at minority voters. Dr Meera Singh, a Lucknow-based commentator, said, “These allegations, if true, point to a systematic attempt to disenfranchise minority voters. The attack on a BLO is an escalation from mere pressure to outright intimidation.”
