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The Congress has trained its guns on the BJP as well as the Election Commission over the voter roll exercise, calling it an attempt to “steal” votes
Jharkhand health minister Irfan Ansari. (X @IrfanAnsariMLA)
Jharkhand health minister Irfan Ansari has triggered a row by publicly criticising the state’s Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and expressing his intent to block the implementation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, prompting a reaction from the Election Commission (EC).
The controversy erupted when Ansari, while addressing a public gathering, accused BLOs of being a hindrance to the smooth functioning of various administrative processes, including the SIR initiative. He reportedly told locals that if any BLO approaches their home with SIR-related tasks, they should not hesitate in “tying them up”.
“Everyone should protest against SIR. If the BLO comes to your house, lock them inside. The BLO is coming to delete names (from the voter list). Lock him inside the house and release him after I arrive,” he said.
Taking cognizance of the comment, the Jharkhand CEO has asked for a report from DEO Jamtara on the issue.
Last week, the Congress’ Jharkhand unit had decided to appoint Booth Level Agents (BLA)s by December 15 in the run-up to the SIR process. The Times of India quoted state in-charge K Raju as saying: “The upcoming SIR process in Jharkhand is going to be very crucial. Around 56 lakh people were removed from the voter list in Bihar. The party must remain vigilant to ensure that such a situation does not arise in the state.”
The Congress has trained its guns on the BJP as well as the Election Commission over the voter roll exercise, calling it an attempt to “steal” votes and arguing that the process could be used to deliberately remove opposition-leaning or marginalised voters from the rolls.
Ansari’s statement sparked a flurry of reactions from various political quarters. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey took to X to slam Ansari’s “irresponsible” statement.
“The minister Dr Irfan’s statement regarding the SIR is not only irresponsible but also an attempt to mislead the public. When officials working at the grassroots level, such as BLOs, conduct verification by going door-to-door, to talk of tying their hands is an insult to the administrative system and democratic decorum. Such statements spread confusion in society. The Congress has always played this kind of politics and has supported Bangladeshi infiltrators,” he said.
The BJP supports the SIR as a way to “clean” the voter rolls—removing duplicate, dead, or ineligible voters. This is framed as improving electoral integrity. The EC too argues that it’s essential to ensure that only eligible citizens are on the rolls and that the rolls are up to date.
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d…Read More
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More
Jharkhand, India, India
November 24, 2025, 12:01 IST
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