"Giving aid of Rs 2 Lakh": SP chief Akhilesh Yadav on death of BLOs in Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], December 18 (ANI): Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav said the party is providing an aid of Rs 2 lakh to the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) amid reported deaths during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll.
Speaking to reporters in Lucknow, Akhilesh Yadav asked the Election Commission to support the families of the deceased BLOs.
He said, "We are giving an aid of Rs 2 Lakh. We have demanded that the Election Commission help his family."
Further alleging "vote theft" by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Yadav claimed that the party is receiving threats to remove its voters from the electoral roll.
"The CM himself has accepted (vote theft). We are getting threats that they will remove our votes. The Election Commission should take action on people like that," the SP chief said.
Earlier, Akhilesh Yadav had also raised concerns in Parliament over the deaths of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) engaged in the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh, urging the Centre to extend financial and institutional support to their families.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha during a discussion on electoral reforms, the SP Chief said, "Till now, 10 BLOs have lost their lives in the state during the ongoing SIR process. We demand that families of the deceased BLOs be given Rs 1 crore as ex-gratia amount and a government job be given to one member of the deceased's family."
Uttar Pradesh received an extension of 15 days for the enumeration period of the SIR exercise, which will now end on December 26, and draft rolls will be published on December 31, ECI said in a press note.
Meanwhile, as per the revised schedule, the draft roll for Tamil Nadu and Gujarat will be published on December 19. The enumeration period for Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Andaman and Nicobar Islands will end on December 18, with the draft rolls on December 23.
The enumeration period for Kerala will end on December 18, and the draft roll will be published on December 23. The final electoral roll will now be published on February 21, 2026, instead of February 14, 2026. (ANI)