SIR begins in Uttar Pradesh: BJP rolls out ground-level strategy in all booths

As the Election Commission begins its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP has rolled out an extensive ground-level strategy to ensure that no eligible voter is left out of the list. The party has appointed Booth Level Agents (BLAs) at all 1.62 lakh polling booths and assigned three workers per booth as part of its “Mera Booth Sabse Mazboot (loosely translated as My booth is the strongest)” campaign.

Ahead of the 2027 elections, the BJP began preparations to strengthen the party at the booth level, establishing war rooms and implementing real-time monitoring for the seamless SIR exercise. It also launched a special strategy to focus on the weak booths.

Also Read: Bihar’s pre-poll cash push sparks concerns over voter sway, ECI neutrality

According to party functionaries, 2.15 lakh active members have been deployed across the state to assist Booth Level Officers (BLOs) in verifying the list of 15.44 crore voters. The BJP believes that this network will help in eliminating fake and duplicate entries - an issue that has drawn repeated complaints in recent elections.

BJP’s SIR strategy

Under the BJP’s SIR strategy, three functionaries are responsible for every booth.

BLA-1: An assembly coordinator. They are the authorised representatives of the party before the Election Commission (EC), tasked with supervising the voter list verification across the assembly segment.

BLA-2: A booth agent who will directly work with BLOs on the ground to verify and update voter information, including the new voters. Their role is most crucial, as they are responsible for filling out the counting forms and identifying any shortcomings.

Non-booth worker (Pravasi) : Workers assigned from other Shakti Kendras (clusters of 4–5 booths) who bring an “outsider’s perspective ” to ensure neutrality and detect discrepancies. A state-level BJP official said that the role of ‘pravasi’ is very important in any election because they are ''outside the local politics'' and their expertise is valued.

Also Read: 5 reasons why Nitish-led NDA could face anti-incumbency votes in Bihar

A senior BJP leader said that this structure would ensure that accountability was clearly defined and that coordination between party workers and the BLOs was seamless. Each booth committee would assist these three functionaries, but the primary responsibility rested with these three workers.

Real-time monitoring

The BJP has also established “war rooms” from the assembly to booth levels to monitor the daily progress of the SIR exercise. These units will track the number of forms that have been filled and verified, as well as the number that remain pending. Reviews will be conducted every five days and weekly thereafter.

The party has directed its area coordinators to pay special attention to adding first-time voters aged 18 and above. “While the BLOs will handle deletions, our priority is to ensure every eligible voter’s name is added,” a BJP functionary said.

Also Read: Bihar polls: How geological, cultural divides shape state’s economy and votes

Monitoring will also extend to Mandal (Zonal unit) and Shakti Kendra levels. Shakthi Kendras are the units formed to focus on strengthening booth-level preparations for the assembly elections. There will be 4-5 booths in each Shakti Kendra.

The BJP has previously raised concerns with the EC over instances of bogus voting in several regions and has stated that it views the SIR as an opportunity to rectify those records.

Targeting weak booths

While the BJP claims presence in all 1.62 lakh booths, party insiders admit there are weak spots in Muslim and Yadav-dominated areas. Workers from other Shakti Kendras will be temporarily assigned to these booths to bolster the BJP's presence.

Officials said the SIR campaign is being treated not just as an administrative exercise but also as an outreach initiative—an opportunity to strengthen grassroots connections ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.

Also Read: SIR begins in Tamil Nadu amid DMK’s petition in Supreme Court

A SIR workshop was recently held in Lucknow, where State BJP President Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary and Organisation General Secretary Dharampal Singh instructed party workers to remain fully active and coordinate closely with BLOs throughout the verification process.