Hathras, Uttar Pradesh: A government school teacher, identified as Kamalkant Sharma, died in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, while on duty for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, marking the ninth such death in the state. Sharma, 40, was an assistant teacher at Composite School Navli Lalpur and a resident of Brahmanpuri in Sikandra Rao.

Family members stated that Sharma had been under immense stress due to the heavy workload associated with his duties as a Booth Level Officer (BLO). According to his son, Vinayak, Sharma felt dizzy while having tea at his home on Tuesday morning and collapsed. He was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

The incident has sparked outrage and concern among teachers and opposition parties, who are demanding a review of the SIR process and a parliamentary discussion on the matter. They cite the intense pressure and extended deadlines as contributing factors to the officers' distress. The Election Commission (EC) recently extended the SIR deadline to December 11 for West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, with draft rolls to be published on December 16.

District Magistrate (DM) Atul Vats visited Sharma's family and expressed his condolences, calling the death "unfortunate". Vats stated that the cause of death would be clear after the post-mortem examination. The district administration has pledged to support the family by donating a day's salary and covering the educational expenses of Sharma's children. They are also considering providing Sharma's wife, who has completed intermediate education, with a contractual job.

This is the third reported death of a BLO in Uttar Pradesh in the past three days. On December 1, Sarvesh Kumar, a 46-year-old teacher assigned as a BLO in Moradabad, was found dead at his home. Kumar allegedly recorded a final message for his family, stating that he could not handle the pressure of completing the SIR voter list duties. Prior to that, on November 29, a woman BLO died of cardiac arrest in the Bijnor district.

The series of deaths has intensified the standoff between the ruling BJP and the opposition regarding electoral reforms and the SIR of electoral rolls. The government has agreed to a discussion on the issue in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha next week. A Supreme Court division bench is also hearing petitions filed against the SIR process.