SIR in Bengal being held under intimidation, ECI must give security to BLOs, says BJP

Alleging that the Special Intensive Overhaul (SIR) in West Bengal was conducted under an atmosphere of “threat and intimidation”, State BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya on Friday, November 28, 2025, said that it is the responsibility of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure the safety of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) participating in the exercise.

“A situation has been created by the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal where the State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) cannot function properly. Even the CEO is facing security concerns..” he said.

Mr. Bhattacharya said the situation in West Bengal is different from other states and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar will have to take responsibility for the situation faced by BLOs in the state where the police and administration have not provided any security to them.

“Gyanesh Kumar will have to come here (West Bengal). He will have to see how the BLOs are working in the state. Sending representatives here is not enough. The situation in West Bengal is different from other states,” the BJP chief said.

Mr. Bhattacharya said the BLOs were forced to take instructions from the Trinamool Congress and the police did not acknowledge the BLOs’ complaints of being threatened and intimidated. The BJP leader said that unlike other states, West Bengal has a culture of political violence in which 56 BJP workers were killed in post-poll violence after the 2021 Assembly elections and “there is no constitutional crisis but the entire system has collapsed”.

“If the Chief Election Commissioner wants to control the situation by sitting in Delhi, it will not work. He will have to come to West Bengal. He (CEC) will have to come out of his air-conditioned room, visit Diamond Harbour, Kultali, Gosaba and Birbhum and see how the BLOs work here,” he said.

The West Bengal BJP president’s remarks came on the day a delegation of Trinamool Congress MPs met Election Commission of India (ECI) officials in New Delhi. Trinamool MPs raised the issue of demise of BLOs in the State during the SIR process. There are reports of three to four BLO deaths in the state alone. Sources in the party said Trinamool will raise the issue of demise of BLOs in the upcoming session of Parliament.

Mr. Bhattacharya, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP, said BJP leaders will present a delegation to the ECI with the start of the winter session of Parliament in December. The BJP leader also added that the BLOs, which are indulging in irregularities, will have to take responsibility and face the music as they are participating in a process (SIR) conducted by the ECI, a very powerful constitutional body, and even the Supreme Court does not want to interfere in its domain.

“This is not a political party issue, not a matter of BJP, Trinamool, CPI(M) or Congress. This is an issue about the country, its internal security and how the various welfare schemes of the government will be implemented,” he said. Mr. Bhattacharya said the BJP’s stance on SIR is clear, “detect, delete and deport.”