DM says ‘mistake’ after names linked to BJP, RSS appointed as BLO assistants in Madhy
DM says ‘mistake’ after names linked to BJP, RSS appointed as BLO assistants in Madhya Pradesh
M.U.H
25/11/202513
A row erupted in Madhya Pradesh’s Datia district after several persons reportedly linked to the BJP and the RSS were appointed as assistants to booth-level officers (BLOs) for the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The district administration later described the inclusion as an “inadvertent mistake” and initiated action to remove the names.
The development triggered criticism from the opposition Congress, which alleged that the ruling BJP was influencing the electoral revision exercise. State Congress president Jitu Patwari shared a copy of the official list on social media, claiming that at least four appointees were BJP members or office-bearers.
Datia Collector Swapnil Wankhade told PTI that three politically affiliated names were “wrongly included” in the list of BLO assistants. “I did not issue the order. It was issued by the SDM (sub-divisional magistrate) of the Datia assembly. He received the list from officials, and three names were included incorrectly. These persons are being removed from the list. Different departments had sent names for assistants, and three were added by mistake. There was no mala fide intention. The official (SDM) had no such intention, but he made a mistake. We have asked him to explain how it happened,” Wankhade said.
Manish Mishra, who has been accused by Patwari of being a BJP worker, told The Indian Express, “I don’t hold any posts in the BJP. I am a small-time worker associated with the party. The local administration has not contacted me over this controversy.”
Another man, identified as Bobby Raja, denied the allegations. “I am not associated with the BJP or the RSS. I was designated as the assistant to the BLO to help in the SIR exercise. I have not been intimated about this by the local authorities”.
The other two names mentioned in the list could not be contacted.
Patwari wrote that even a constitutional exercise like the SIR was being “politically manipulated” by the administration. “When the party in power begins to colour every institution in its own shade, democracy suffers,” he alleged, adding that the Congress would oppose any attempt to “misuse the electoral process”.
BJP spokesperson Shivam Shukla said, “The SIR is a nationwide exercise taken on a massive scale. There are bound to be some issues which may crop up, and political parties are free to approach the Election Commission with an affidavit. The BJP believes that this exercise should be fair and transparent.”
