Indore, Apr 25 (PTI) The Congress on Tuesday claimed 302 staffers in Indore district have been made booth level officers (BLOs) even though they are not qualified to hold the position ahead of the state Assembly elections to rig voters' list at the behest of the ruling BJP.

The BJP dismissed the Congress' charge saying it shows frustration of the opposition party which is debilitated and loses one election after the other.

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Speaking to reporters, Santosh Singh Gautam, state vice-president of the Congress' media department, claimed in nine Assembly constituencies in Indore district, 302 employees, who do not qualify for the important electoral responsibility as per the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, have been made BLOs.

Some of the persons who were appointed as BLOs are working as peons, electricians, tabla players, drivers, hand pump technicians and photographers, he alleged.

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These appointments are made by the district election office.

When asked about the Congress' allegations regarding the appointment of BLOs, District Magistrate and District Election Officer Dr Ilayaraja T told PTI that he would be able to comment on the matter only after getting complete details of the matter.

Gautam alleged the Election Commission was acting as "BJP's puppet" and claimed efforts were being made to rig the voter list by making ineligible people as BLOs at the behest of the ruling party.

Congress leader and lawyer Jayesh Gurnani cited provisions of the Representation of the People Act 1950, to claim that only teachers, anganwadi workers, patwaris, accountants, panchayat secretaries, postmen and other fixed categories of employees working in government or semi-government departments should be given charge of BLO.

“We have sent legal notices to the Election Commission, State Election Commission, District Election Office and other concerned parties asking them to remove 302 ineligible employees appointed as BLOs within seven days of receiving the notices,” he said.

If the ineligible people are not removed from the post of BLO, Congress will approach the Madhya Pradesh High Court, he said.

When contacted, Madhya Pradesh BJP secretary Rajneesh Agrawal slammed Congress.

"Digvijaya Singh and Kamal Nath have accepted that Congress is weak. That's why such allegations are being raised. The BJP fights elections on the strength of the party organisation and does not use state employees. This may be Congress' way," he told PTI in Bhopal.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)