'Country in chaos': Rahul slams SIR after BLOs death; calls roll revision 'imposed tyranny'

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Sunday alleged that “chaos” has gripped the country in the name of the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, claiming that 16 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have died due to work-related stress.

The SIR exercise is currently under way in nine States and three Union Territories. Its first phase was conducted in Bihar ahead of the State’s Assembly elections.


“Under the guise of SIR, chaos has been unleashed across the country - the result? In three weeks, 16 BLOs have lost their lives. Heart attacks, stress, suicides - SIR is no reform, it's an imposed tyranny,” Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X in Hindi.

“SIR is a calculated ploy - where citizens are being harassed and the deaths of BLOs from unnecessary pressure are dismissed as ‘collateral damage.’ This is not a failure, it's a conspiracy - a sacrifice of democracy to protect those in power,” the Congress MP alleged.

A media report shared by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge stated that 16 BLOs have died across six States — four each in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, three in West Bengal, two in Rajasthan, and one each in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Following the death of a BLO in West Bengal that triggered a political dispute, governor CV Ananda Bose on Sunday said that the passing of Shanti Muni Ekka, who allegedly died by suicide due to “unbearable pressure” from SIR-related duties, would be examined thoroughly.

“In such a situation, it is better to avoid a knee-jerk reaction. What the Chief Minister said has to be examined in detail. I am sure we have an Election Commission which is strong enough and has a balanced outlook. All these issues can be examined properly and appropriate solutions found, but what is required is free and fair elections in this country,” the governor said.

The final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on February 7, 2026.

The States and Union Territories currently undergoing SIR include Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress will hold an internal review meeting on November 24, chaired by party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. The meeting will focus on SIR-related assessments, improvements across districts, and ensuring that no voter names are omitted.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee is also scheduled to meet members of the Matua community in Bongaon, North 24 Parganas, on November 25.
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