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SIR challenges galore for BLOs in Lucknow amid voter apathy, nearing deadline
With just two days left for electoral roll revision in Lucknow, booth officers face challenges of voter apathy, incomplete forms, and high pressure.
With barely two days left before the first phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls concludes on December 26, booth level officers (BLOs) in Lucknow are struggling to keep the exercise on track amid voter apathy, incomplete documentation and growing work pressure. As the deadline approaches, BLOs say lack of cooperation and reluctance to share decades-old details are slowing down what is already a mammoth task.
Across the city, BLOs are no longer going door to door but are stationed at designated booths, collecting SIR forms distributed earlier. However, both the pace of submission and the quality of information provided remain a major concern.
Rudeness, blank columns add to woes
BLO Mohit Kumar, posted in the Kurmi Tola area, said voters often respond rudely when contacted for missing details. “I called a voter to ask for the serial number as per the 2003 voter list. He was rude and said his parents, both over 80, do not remember which polling station they voted at 22 years ago, and then disconnected the call,” said Kumar, an employee of the Lucknow Development Authority.
Similar experiences were shared by Mahesh Chandra, a government school teacher assigned to Faridi Nagar near Indira Nagar. “Many voters expect us to fill in the 2003 details on our own. Several have left the column blank, claiming their parents or grandparents are no more and they have no information,” he said.
Chandra added that pressure has mounted significantly in the final days. “On average, a single BLO is dealing with 50 to 60 voters daily—answering queries, collecting forms and resolving discrepancies. At my booth, which has 14 BLOs, only around 40% forms are complete, while over 30% of the submitted forms have missing information,” Chandra added.
Anita Vaish, 55, an assistant teacher posted as BLO in the Mahanagar area, said she managed to download the 2003 voter list and complete verification for about half the voters. “Despite this, many still say they don’t remember their polling station. In several cases, forms have not been returned at all,” she said.
BLOs argue that it is unfair for voters to expect officials to track their details by browsing multiple archival voter lists. They have also urged the district administration and the Election Commission to take stern action against non-cooperative voters.
On the other side, several voters say the process is cumbersome and impractical. “When we call for missing details, many say ‘abhi time nahi hai’ or ‘yeh aapka kaam hai’,” Chandra said, adding that voters are particularly reluctant to retrieve information dating back over two decades.
Some, however, have managed to complete the process. Shashi Kant Singh, a retired Army personnel from Kakori and a voter in Mallihabad constituency, said he successfully registered after arranging documents from his native village in Ballia. “Most information was easily accessible. Except for his younger son, who has just turned 18, every other eligible member of the family has been successfully registered,” he said.
Others have found the exercise far from smooth. Kirti Mishra, a resident of Para and a voter of Mallihabad constituency, said she could not furnish her family’s 2003 voting details. A working woman with a child, she said her husband’s address mismatch meant he never received an SIR form. A BLO in the area said a notice would be issued and failure to submit alternative proof could lead to deletion of names from the voter list.
Digvijay Singh, a government officer and a voter in Lucknow East constituency, said he was unwilling to chase archival records. “If I don’t have time to run after documents for my own money stuck in a bank, how can I arrange voting details from 2003?” he said, adding that he was even asked about his parents’ and in-laws’ enrolment details.
Others complained of not receiving forms at all. Gopal Krishna Saxena, a doctor from Indira Nagar, said no form was handed over when the BLO visited his house in his absence. Avneesh Kumar, who has a transferable job, said retrieving 2003 records was nearly impossible. “I don’t even remember where I was posted then,” he said.
SIR progress in nine seats
Meanwhile, official data shows uneven progress across Lucknow’s nine assembly constituencies. Malihabad and Mohanlalganj have crossed 82% collection of forms, while urban seats such as Lucknow North, East and Cantonment remain around 60–62%. Overall progress stands at 69.49%.
More uncollectible voters in urban constituencies
The uncollectible voters in the six urban constituencies of Lucknow Cantt, Lucknow North, Lucknow East, Lucknow Central, Sarojninagar and the old city area of Lucknow West remain high as compared to the assembly constituencies of Bakshi Ka Talab, Malihabad and Mohanlalganj which have high percentage of rural voters.
With days ticking away, election officials face the twin challenge of meeting deadlines while addressing voter dissatisfaction—raising questions over last-mile coordination and public awareness in one of the country’s largest electoral exercises.
