14 hrs ago
Odisha BLO Credentials Allegedly Used to Submit Mass Voter Deletions
Officials in one Odisha constituency found many requests to remove people from the voter list.
Some Booth Level Officers said these requests were submitted using their login details without their permission.
One officer said 227 requests were filed using her account.
The officers said they had shared one-time passwords because they thought the codes were needed for checking information.
They later complained to the police and election officials.
The election authorities suspended a local official and ordered more investigation.
Most of the people affected were Muslim voters, according to officials.
The requests were withdrawn, and most of those voters remained on the final list.
Several Booth Level Officers in Dhamnagar alleged that Form 7 voter-deletion applications were uploaded using their credentials without authorization.
Nirupama Tripathy said 227 applications were submitted in her name, while other BLOs reported similar cases.
The Election Commission approved disciplinary action against Santosh Kumar Nayak, who was suspended as Dhamnagar’s council executive officer and Assistant Electoral Registration Officer.
More than 90% of the allegedly unauthorized applications reportedly concerned Muslim voters, while over 3,000 Form 7 applications came from the constituency.
The applications were withdrawn, and most affected voters appeared in Odisha’s final electoral roll released on September 21.
- Who
- Several Booth Level Officers, local election officials, the Election Commission of India, and the Biju Janata Dal were involved.
- What
- Form 7 applications seeking voter deletions were allegedly uploaded using BLO credentials without authorization.
- Where
- Dhamnagar Assembly constituency in Bhadrak district, Odisha.
- When
- The BLOs complained on September 4; the BJD submitted a memorandum on September 7; the final roll was released on September 21.
- Why
- The BLOs said their credentials and one-time passwords were obtained under the pretext of verification and used to process deletion applications.
BLOs and Opposition Concerns
Election Administration Response
Use of BLO credentials
BLOs and Opposition Concerns
The BLOs said they shared one-time passwords for verification, but their credentials were then used to submit deletion applications without authorization.
Election Administration Response
A preliminary inquiry found that the forms appeared to have been processed in an unauthorized manner, prompting suspension and disciplinary proceedings against the local AERO.
Impact on eligible voters
BLOs and Opposition Concerns
The BLOs and the Biju Janata Dal said many affected voters were genuine and called for a thorough review so that no eligible voter would be excluded.
Election Administration Response
The applications were withdrawn, and most of the affected voters were included in the final electoral roll.
Need for wider review
BLOs and Opposition Concerns
The Biju Janata Dal argued that all Form 7 deletions in Odisha should be reviewed if the allegations are proven.
Election Administration Response
The Election Commission ordered action and further inquiry in the Dhamnagar matter, but the article does not report a statewide review decision.
Key facts
- Affected constituency
- Dhamnagar Assembly constituency, Odisha
- Reported applications
- More than 3,000 Form 7 applications came from the constituency.
- Individual case
- BLO Nirupama Tripathy said 227 applications were filed using her credentials.
- Reported demographic pattern
- Officials said more than 90% of the applications concerned Muslim voters.
- Disciplinary action
- Santosh Kumar Nayak was suspended and disciplinary proceedings were initiated.
- Final roll
- Most voters targeted by the allegedly unauthorized applications appeared in the final roll released September 21.
- Odisha-wide change
- The state’s voter count fell from 3.33 crore before the revision to 3.16 crore in the final roll.
Quotes
Nirupama Tripathy
BLO for Booth No. 153 in Dhamnagar Assembly constituency
“I shared OTPs with the AERO and his staff at least three times. I thought it’s for verification purposes. When I found out about processing of 227 Form 7s for deletion of voters on my behalf, I spoke to other BLOs, and they said they were seeing a similar situation. This prompted us to take action.”
indianexpress.com
“If the allegations are proved to be true, it raises a serious question on the credibility of the electoral process. Given the situation in Dhamnagar, all deletions carried out through Form 7s in Odisha should be reviewed. Not a single eligible voter should be excluded from the voter list.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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