SIR: BLOs being forced to accept Form-7s without signature of applicants

After the Musheerabad incident involving applications for bulk deletions became public, pre-printed Form 7 applications are still being brought to the booth level officers (BLOs), but without signatures of the applicants, during the Claims & Objections phase of the Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls.

In successive cases that surfaced after Musheerabad, at Bahadurpura and Goshamahal, the pre-printed application forms were all without signatures.

In a fresh instance, the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) of Goshamahal constituency spoke up against bulk submission of Form-7s and warned the political parties of action if BLOs are pressured into accepting such forms.

ERO Uma Prakash posted the message in a WhatsApp group created for communication with political parties, saying a particular BLA named Sai Kiran brought a total 180 application forms to the BLO and pressured the latter to take them. She mentioned that it was against the guidelines of the Election Commission of India, and asked the parties to give the list to the ERO for proper verification. If the pressure tactics continue, criminal cases will be booked, she warned.