He also pledged direct aid from the Samajwadi Party, adding, “We also pledge to give Rs 2 lakh assistance to the dependents of each deceased person.”
File Photo: IANS
Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav has formally urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to grant a substantial Rs 1 crore compensation to the families of officials who died due to mental or physical distress during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh.
Yadav conveyed his demand via his WhatsApp channel on Wednesday. “In a direct appeal to the Election Commission, we request that those who have lost their lives due to mental or physical distress during the SIR in Uttar Pradesh be granted a compensation of Rs 1 crore,” the party chief stated.
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He also pledged direct aid from the Samajwadi Party, adding, “We also pledge to give Rs 2 lakh assistance to the dependents of each deceased person.”
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The call follows media reports highlighting the severe stress experienced by field officials involved in the voter list revision, which runs from November 4 to December 4, 2025. Recent incidents include the deaths of two UP officials — a Booth Level Officer in Gonda and a revenue official in Fatehpur — reportedly linked to the pressures of SIR duties. Reports of suicide among UP field staff have also surfaced.
Yadav’s demand escalates his ongoing criticism of the ECI’s management of the revision process. Earlier this month, he had alleged a “conspiracy” involving the BJP and elements of the administration to manipulate voter rolls and remove up to 50,000 voters per assembly constituency during the SIR. His past demands have included a three-month extension of the SIR timeline to accommodate wedding and farming seasons.
The Election Commission has not yet issued a public response to Yadav’s latest compensation request. The ECI’s “Daily Bulletin” released on November 26, 2025, provided data on the distribution and digitisation of Enumeration Forms under the SIR but did not mention the reported fatalities or the compensation claims.
The Special Intensive Revision Phase II is a nationwide effort aimed at updating electoral rolls through door-to-door verification by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and Booth Level Agents (BLAs).
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