‘Visited BLO 10 times, every visit costs me a day’s work’: Delhi vendors bear the brunt of SIR notices

Delhi's vendors bear brunt of facing SIR notices as prominent names relish home visits by BLOs. Election commission denies VIP treatment.

Subodh Kumar has lost count of the number of times he abandoned his vending cart to meet his Booth Level Officer (BLO) last week. “I have made at least 8-10 visits to the BLO. Every visit costs me a day’s work,” said the 48-year-old who moved to Delhi from Munger with his parents in 1984.

3.3 million people have been identified under the “no mapping” and “logical discrepancies” in the Capital. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo/Representational)

Subodh is certified as a street vendor by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) under the Street Vendors Act. His Special Intensive Revision (SIR) notice, however, stated that neither he nor his family could be mapped to the 2002 rolls. “I am certified by the MCD under the Vendors Act. When they introduced the act, they made it mandatory for vendors to have a Delhi address on their Aadhaar card,” he said.

In Mangol Puri, 77-year-old Shanti Devi was caught in the same bind. She could not be linked to the 2002 rolls, despite having lived in the area her entire life. “I have received a notice and now I have to physically appear before the BLO,” she said. “My children tell me there is a lot of chaos and rush at the centres where these hearings take place. At this age I should not be made to run to prove that I am a legitimate voter.”

Vendors lag behind under SIR's ‘VIP treatment’

Both Subodh and Shanti are part of 3.3 million people identified in the Capital under two categories: “no mapping” and “logical discrepancies”. Of these, 3.16 million have been served notices. Among the prominent people sent notices were external affairs minister S Jaishankar, chief minister Rekha Gupta, former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, former deputy prime minister LK Advani, and election commissioner SS Sandhu.

These so-called VIP voters were not required to visit the hearing centres. Electoral Registration Officers instead drew up a list of such cases and sent BLOs directly to their homes to verify and resolve the discrepancies. Rekha Gupta’s entry, for example, was flagged over an age-related discrepancy in her enumeration form. Officials said that once her documents were verified, her entry was validated for inclusion in the final roll. Sandhu’s entry, similarly flagged, was also validated.

Senior officials at the Election Commission of India and Delhi CEO’s office said the poll body tried to make the process smooth for everyone, not just VVIPs. “Those who do not wish to appear in person can pursue their disposal online. Senior citizens can request BLOs to visit their homes. We have been holding awareness drives across Delhi to inform people about this,” an official said.

But Kumar or Devi were not convinced. “Why would a BLO come to my house or be prompt with my application. He has hundreds like me to deal with. I am not a VIP, after all,” Subodh said.