"26 BLOs' deaths in 20 days like murder in broad daylight": Congress targets BJP over SIR

New Delhi [India], November 28 (ANI): Congress leader Supriya Shrinate on Monday took a swipe at the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) over its support to SIR process and said "26 BLOs' deaths in 20 days is like murder in broad daylight."
She further reiterated the Congress party's "vote theft" allegations.
"One thing is clear: the BJP has been caught stealing votes. 93 per cent strike rate in a state where you've been in power for 20 years is simply impossible. Every child knows that vote theft is being perpetrated through SIRs. Everyone knows what happened in Bihar," she said at a press conference.
She underlined the death of 26 BLOs in the past 20 days and called it "murder in broad daylight." She outlined the case of Gonda BLO Vipin Yadav, who committed suicide by consuming poison, further stating that his family said that he was under pressure to remove the names of backward class members from the voter list.
"Every child knows that the SIRs are being conducted across the country, and the way 25 and now 26 BLOs have died in 20 days is like murder in broad daylight. What's the hurry? Take some time and conduct the SIR. The family of Vipin Yadav, the BLO in Gonda who committed suicide by consuming poison, says he was under pressure to remove the names of backward class members from the voter list," she added.
While speaking to ANI after the conference, Shrinate also slammed the Election Commission.
Congress leader Supriya Shrinate says, "Because of SIR, 26 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have died in 20 days. This is not some narrative but a harsh truth before the nation. Where is Gyanesh Gupta? The list for local body elections in Maharashtra has come out, showing the addresses of 200 people registered at two coaching institutes, where even a bird can't sit. Because of Rahul Gandhi, this country has received evidence and proof of vote theft, and neither Gyanesh Gupta nor the BJP has a single answer to those proofs."
Earlier, on Wednesday, she accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of "blatant vote theft" through the SIR of electoral rolls in West Bengal, alleging large-scale deletion of voter names and the addition of fake entries without proper forms.
"The SIR issue is not a small issue. It's the most powerful method of vote theft, and that's why it's being used so blatantly," she said.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India will conduct the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls across 12 states and Union Territories, with the final voter list scheduled to be published on February 7, 2026.
The first phase of SIR was completed in Bihar in September ahead of the Assembly elections.
The exercise covers Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.
According to the ECI, printing and training for the exercise were conducted from October 28 to November 3, followed by an Enumeration Phase from November 4 to December 4.
Draft Electoral Rolls will be published on December 9, followed by a claims and objections period from December 9 to January 8, 2026.
The Notice Phase (for hearing and verification) will take place between December 9 and January 31, 2026, with publication of Final Electoral Rolls on February 7, 2026. (ANI)