In a post on X, Sibal wrote: "Yet another suicide by a Bengal BLO. Total pan-India: 33. If one alleged 'ghuspetia' (infiltrator), that's not OK. If 33 BLOs die, is that Ok?"
His remarks followed the death of Haradhan Mandal, a 53-year-old headmaster and BLO in West Bengal's Bankura district. Mandal's body was found hanging in a school classroom on December 28, with a suicide note citing unbearable pressure from SIR duties. Mandal, responsible for booth 206 in Ranibandh block, reportedly mentioned in the note his inability to cope with the workload. His son said he worked until late hours despite health issues.
Opposition leaders, including TMC's Abhishek Banerjee, blamed the Election Commission's "hurried and chaotic" process, claiming it has caused multiple fatalities. The SIR, launched in November across 12 states and UTs, aims to update voter lists by removing duplicates, deceased, and shifted names while verifying citizenship.
Draft lists have deleted over 3.69 crore names, sparking accusations of targeted disenfranchisement in opposition-ruled states. BLOs, often teachers, face intense door-to-door verification amid tight deadlines, leading to allegations of overwork.The Election Commission has not officially linked deaths to SIR, calling them unfortunate while defending the exercise as essential for clean rolls.
Voters can check names online via eci.gov.in or the Voter Helpline App and file corrections by February 14, 2026.The controversy highlights mounting pressure on grassroots election staff and raises questions about balancing electoral integrity with humane implementation.
