UP: Bahraich admin orders suspensions, FIRs against poll staff for 'laxity' in SIR duties

Bahraich (UP), Nov 23 (PTI) The Bahraich district administration has initiated action against booth-level officers (BLOs), supervisors and revenue staff for alleged negligence during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh, officials said on Sunday.

Five BLOs have been booked, salaries of 42 personnel withheld after issuance of notices, and a revenue lekhpal suspended for dereliction of duty, they said.

This comes after two BLOs deployed in Matera and Balha assembly segments were suspended on Friday.

Payagpur Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Ashwini Pandey told PTI that with the SIR underway across the state, District Magistrate Akshay Tripathi has instructed officials and staff not to show any laxity.

During a review of the revision process in Payagpur tehsil, several instances of negligence surfaced. The inquiry found that many BLOs and supervisors were not adhering to prescribed norms and were functioning arbitrarily, Pandey said.

The SDM said FIRs have been lodged against two BLOs in Kaiserganj, two in Visheshwarganj and one in Huzoorpur police station areas under relevant sections of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. Two of the officers booked are women, he added.

Supervisors were deployed across polling stations in Payagpur. During the review, it was found that ineffective supervision by 42 of them -- including revenue inspectors, lekhpals and assistant teachers -- was affecting the quality of the revision work. All have been issued show-cause notices and their salaries have been withheld with immediate effect, Pandey said.

He said revenue lekhpal Ashish Kumar, posted in Patna village of Visheshwarganj development block, has been suspended for remaining absent without intimation.

District Basic Education Officer (BEO) Ashish Kumar Singh said on Saturday that the Election Commission has expressed displeasure over the laxity on the part of two BLOs in Matera and Balha assembly constituencies. Both were suspended on the DM's directions.

On Sunday, the administration recommended proceedings against three more BLOs for continued negligence in the SIR exercise.

According to an official communication from the DM's office, a review revealed that three BLOs posted in the Matera assembly segment repeatedly ignored instructions.

Leha Arora, an assistant teacher deployed as BLO at the Karniya polling station under Risia block, was found absent from duty. Digitisation work under BLO Ajay Verma (Ramwapur polling station) and BLO Omkar Nath, a shiksha mitra posted in Raipur under Chittaura block, was found to be less than 1 per cent, the communication said.

The notice stated that the three officers appeared indifferent towards their responsibilities, resulting in delays in digitisation work. Based on the report of the registration officer of the Matera area, action has been recommended against all three BLOs, it added.

The SIR started on November 4 and will continue till December 4. PTI COR KIS DIV DIV