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<p data-start="80" data-end="357"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Uttar Pradesh government has served notices to 20 anganwadi workers deployed as booth-level officers (BLOs) for the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Varanasi district, citing alleged failure to complete their assigned work within stipulated timelines.</span></p>
<p data-start="359" data-end="679"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Confirming the action, district programme officer D.K. Singh said several anganwadi workers were not taking their SIR responsibilities seriously despite the deadline approaching. He warned that disciplinary action, including termination of service, could follow if their replies to the notices were found unsatisfactory.</span></p>
<p data-start="681" data-end="951"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">&ldquo;With the SIR deadline nearing, some BLOs are being very casual about their work. Notices have been issued, and they have been given three days to complete their assignments. If their response is not satisfactory, we may terminate them as anganwadi workers,&rdquo; Singh said.</span></p>
<p data-start="953" data-end="1253"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">However, some of the BLOs have pushed back against the allegations, blaming voter apathy and intense field-level pressure for the delays. One BLO, speaking on condition of anonymity, said repeated efforts had been made to collect enumeration forms from voters, but many residents failed to cooperate.</span></p>
<p data-start="1255" data-end="1560"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">&ldquo;People are not serious about the SIR drive. We distributed the enumeration forms, but many did not return them. We visited their homes three times in the past two weeks. Some were not available at the addresses given, while others said they would submit the forms at their own convenience,&rdquo; the BLO said.</span></p>
<p data-start="1562" data-end="2041"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The worker also alleged that senior officials were not receptive to the challenges faced on the ground and were instead passing pressure down the line. She said the lack of administrative sensitivity had demoralised field workers. &ldquo;The government can issue notices or sack us, but senior officers are not ready to listen to our problems. They are panicking and transferring that pressure to us. Losing interest in work becomes natural when genuine issues are ignored,&rdquo; she added.</span></p>
<p data-start="2043" data-end="2392"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Under the SIR schedule, BLOs are required to collect enumeration forms until December 26. The draft electoral rolls are to be published on December 31, after which voters can file claims and objections until January 30. Hearings on objections will continue until February 21, and the final electoral roll is scheduled for publication on February 28.</span></p>
<p data-start="2394" data-end="2697"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The action in Varanasi follows similar measures in other districts. Earlier, two BLOs each were suspended in Sitapur and Bahraich. In Gautam Buddha Nagar, an FIR was recently registered against 60 BLOs and seven supervisors for allegedly failing to follow instructions issued by the Election Commission.</span></p>
<p data-start="2699" data-end="2991" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node=""><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The intensive voter list revision has also been marred by concerns over work-related stress. In recent weeks, at least six BLOs in Uttar Pradesh have either died of cardiac arrest or died by suicide, incidents that have been linked by colleagues to excessive pressure during the SIR exercise.</span></p>
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20 workers face action over poll roll lapses amid pressure, tight deadlines

UP serves notices to anganwadi BLOs in Varanasi

20 workers face action over poll roll lapses amid pressure, tight deadlines

December 23, 2025 | 01:59 IST