Congress Escalates Rajasthan SIR Controversy, District Administration Forced to Issue Clarification

Jaipur, Nov 20, 2025: The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process of voter lists—currently underway in several states after the Bihar elections—has triggered a major political storm in Rajasthan. While Block Level Officers (BLOs) are already under scrutiny due to alleged workload pressure and recent tragic incidents, the Congress has now levelled a fresh set of explosive allegations against the administration.

Congress Alleges Voter Deletion Without Due Process

The Congress claims that in Jaipur, voter names are being illegally and deliberately removed from lists. According to the party, several families have discovered that their names have vanished from the electoral rolls even though BLOs never visited their homes or provided the mandatory forms.

The party escalated its accusations on social media, alleging that SIR is being used as a “tool to snatch away constitutional rights” and that targeted voter deletions are underway. Congress asserted that removing votes without verification amounts to a direct attack on democracy.

Administration Responds: “No Names Deleted Yet”

Following the controversy, Jaipur district administration stepped in with a detailed clarification.

Key points from the administration’s response:

• No voter’s name has been removed from the final list so far.
• The process currently underway is only a preliminary survey, not final deletion.
• BLOs are required to visit each household multiple times. In many cases, they visited twice but found residents unavailable.
• A third visit will be conducted before any form is finalized.
• The form-filling process will continue until December 4, and voters can fill forms on the spot during BLO’s final visit.

The administration emphasized that no one will be removed from the voter list without verification and due process.

Rising Tension After BLO Deaths

The SIR process has come under further scrutiny after two separate incidents involving BLOs:

• A suspected suicide by a BLO in Jaipur, allegedly linked to work pressure.
• A heart attack death of BLO Hariom Bairwa in Sawai Madhopur, after which his family accused officials of creating mental stress.

Responding to media questions, Cabinet Minister Kirodi Lal Meena stated that heart attacks can often be natural and may not always be linked to work pressure. However, the opposition has rejected the explanation, calling for a thorough probe into workload and administrative accountability.

A Process Turning Political

What was supposed to be a routine voter-list revision exercise has quickly evolved into a political flashpoint in Rajasthan. With allegations of voter suppression, administrative overreach, and BLO stress mounting, the SIR controversy is expected to intensify as the December 4 deadline approaches.