MP News: Voter Roll Turmoil In Badnawar; 7,088 Names Axed After Final SIR List

Badnawar (Madhya Pradesh): Widespread anger and anxiety have gripped voters in the Badnawar assembly constituency after the publication of the final Special Intensive Revision (SIR) list, with at least 7,088 voters discovering that their names have been removed under suspicious circumstances.

What was meant to be a routine electoral revision has instead turned into a maze of harassment, confusion and unanswered questions.

During the claims and objections process, several disturbing irregularities have surfaced. Families across multiple wards have alleged that baseless and fraudulent objections were filed against genuine voters whose names had already appeared in previous voter lists and were verified by Booth Level Officers (BLOs).

Shockingly, verification revealed that many objectors do not belong to Badnawar at all, but hail from other villages and towns.

Complaints of such harassment are emerging from several wards. Voters say they are being forced to run from pillar to post to restore their voting rights. One affected voter recounted how, after finding his name missing, the BLO sent him to the SDM office, where the officer was unavailable. The election branch and reader claimed ignorance and sent him back to the BLO, leaving him stranded and compelled to abandon daily work.

According to sources, nearly 1,700 objections have been filed across 15 wards of the town. Ward number nine alone has recorded a staggering 370 objections, despite having just 900 voters.

Most objectors, locals allege, are neither residents of the ward nor of Badnawar. Adding to the suspicion, several Form 7 objection forms carry only the objector’s name, with other mandatory columns left blank.

In ward number 10, objections have reportedly been raised against around 70 voters, including Sharik Ali, Shahrukh Khan, Alifiya Bee, Vasim, Nilofar and Nilesh Jain.

Lakhan, a resident of Bidwal village, said an objection was falsely filed in his name. “I had nothing to do with it. I will file an FIR against those misusing my identity,” he said.

SDM Priyanka Mimrot told Free Press that details of objectors would be shared only with concerned voters. However, affected voters claim they are not being told who objected to their names and are instead being made to make repeated visits to offices without clarity.

With elections approaching, the controversy has raised serious questions about transparency, accountability and the integrity of the voter revision process in Badnawar.