Aam Aadmi Party News: Workload, mental stress, and fear of suspension have led to the deaths of 16 BLOs conducting SIRs in just 19 days, SIRs are demanding new documents from existing voters, which are extremely difficult for the average person to obtain, Is the deletion of 6.5 million voters in Bihar aimed at disenfranchising migrants, women, and minorities? The hasty implementation of SIRs in 12 states without correcting these deficiencies has increased the risk of widespread disenfranchisement of people – stated by Sanjay Singh
Sanjay Singh seeks halt to SIRs, cites 16 BLO deaths and voter disenfranchisement fears
Senior Aam Aadmi Party leader and MP Sanjay Singh on Monday submitted a notice demanding a discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the scams being carried out in the name of SIR and the frequent deaths of BLOs across the country. He stated that 16 BLOs conducting SIRs have died in just 19 days due to workload, mental stress, and fear of suspension. SIRs are demanding new documents from existing voters, which are extremely difficult for the average person to obtain. The haste to conduct SIRs in 12 states without correcting these deficiencies has increased the risk of widespread disenfranchisement. He appealed to the Rajya Sabha to immediately ban SIRs, restore voter lists, and hold the Election Commission accountable.
Sanjay Singh has filed this notice under Rule 267 (Notice of Motion for Suspension of Rules) of the Rajya Sabha Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business. He seeks a discussion in the House regarding the arbitrary deletion of voters’ votes, deaths of BLOs, threats of disenfranchisement, and serious threats to Articles 14, 21, and 326. He states in the notice that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) being conducted by the Election Commission of India has created a nationwide crisis of electoral fairness. This process, intended to update and purify the electoral rolls, has instead led to large-scale arbitrary deletions, gross violations of procedure, and widespread human suffering. It also poses a serious threat to free and fair elections.
Aam Aadmi Party News: SIR linked to unfair voter deletions and severe BLO distress, prompting urgent calls for accountability
Sanjay Singh stated that the SIR has led to unprecedented and unfair deletions in Bihar, where 6.5 million voters were struck off without proper verification. In many assembly constituencies, the number of deletions exceeds the previous margin of victory. This raises concerns that migrants, women, minorities, and vulnerable groups may be targeted and disenfranchised. The lack of a meaningful appeal mechanism and the opaque deletion process demonstrate a complete failure of due process and transparency.
Sanjay Singh stated that the SIR has created unbearable pressure on booth-level officers (BLOs), leading to a humanitarian crisis. Within just 19 days (by the end of November 2025), at least 16 BLOs have died, including suicides. Reports attribute this to inhumane workloads, mental stress, sleepless nights, unsafe field conditions, and fear of punitive action based on performance (ranking). Frequent app failures, unrealistic targets, and threats of suspension have pushed ground-level employees into a dangerous working environment.
From 243 days to 97: Sanjay Singh criticizes EC’s compressed SIR schedule and new document demands
Sanjay Singh stated that the deadline imposed by the Election Commission is arbitrary and impractical. The second phase of the SIR is scheduled to be completed by December 4, 2025, leaving barely a month for door-to-door verification, form processing, and digitization. In contrast, the 2003 Election Commission completed the voter list revision in six to eight months (approximately 243 days), allowing ample time for verification, corrections, and scrutiny. In sharp contrast, the 2025 SIR is completing the entire process, including door-to-door verification, document verification, and publication of the final list, in just 97 days.
Sanjay Singh said that the 2003 guidelines considered the existing voter list and voter ID cards as primary evidence and assumed that registered voters were valid. The 2025 SIR reverses this principle and is demanding new documents from existing voters, which are difficult for a common citizen to obtain.
Supreme Court flags SIR’s document burden as EC expands drive to 12 states
Sanjay Singh stated that the Honourable Supreme Court has also expressed serious concern about the documentation burden imposed by the SIR. During the hearing, Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia remarked, “How can you expect everyone to produce all the documents in this document-starved country? I don’t even have a birth certificate.” This demonstrates that the very basis of the 2025 SIR process is unrealistic and will exclude people from the electoral rolls, potentially leading to widespread disenfranchisement.
Sanjay Singh stated that despite these serious failures in Bihar, the Election Commission has expanded the second phase of the SIR to 12 states, 321 districts, and 510 million voters starting November 19, 2025, ahead of the key 2026 elections. This hasty and uncorrected expansion dramatically increases the risk of widespread disenfranchisement across the country and jeopardizes the credibility of the electoral process.
Sanjay Singh stated that this threatens the right to vote under Article 326, equality before the law (Article 14), and free and fair elections (Article 21). Therefore, immediate parliamentary intervention is sought to stop the SIR, restore the electoral rolls, and hold the Election Commission accountable. Sanjay Singh requested the Rajya Sabha Secretary General to suspend all business of the House under Rule 267 and urgently discuss this vital national issue.
Also Read- Bhagwant Mann Government launches road Network Upgrade: 44,920 km planned at ₹16,000 Crore
