[ad_1]
Is there a reason why Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are being given so much negative attention as the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls gains momentum nationwide?
Booth-level officials, especially in opposition-ruled states like West Bengal, where elections are due, and Tamil Nadu, are reportedly under pressure mainly due to the ‘inhuman’ workload and ‘unrealistic’ deadlines attached to the SIR of the voter list released by the Election Commission (EC).
This situation has become a point of political controversy, with ruling parties in these states accusing the ECI of creating chaos by potentially influencing voter lists.
Author and veteran public interest lawyer Prashant Bhushan says: “The BJP has an extensive list of voters who vote against it. The objective of the SIR exercise is to eliminate all areas of dissatisfaction. BLOs are being asked to work at a frantic pace so that the exercise is completed before anyone realizes the damage caused.
‘Names of about 47 lakh voters were removed in Bihar’
Critics allege that the deletion of names of about 47 lakh voters in the recently concluded Bihar elections, in what was termed the first round of voter cleansing, helped the NDA win the elections. He also says that the numbers deleted from the voter list of Bihar were made available, but the number of voters added was never notified by the Election Commission.
A political storm has erupted over the ongoing SIR of voter lists in 12 states and union territories, which was launched on November 4. Proposed as the second round of voter cleansing, the exercise is scheduled to end with the publication of the final voter list on February 7, 2026.
** Several deaths of BLOs have been reported in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Kerala in the last few days.
** Booth level officers engaged in the ongoing SIR process in West Bengal scuffle with police personnel while trying to enter the CEO’s office during a demonstration against alleged excessive work pressure on November 24.
*** Two teachers-cum-BLOs died of ‘disease’ in Raisen and Damoh districts of Madhya Pradesh last week
*** The Noida administration in UP has filed FIRs against over 60 BLOs and seven observers at three police stations for alleged negligence and disobedience during the ongoing SIR of voter lists, while in Bahraich, two BLOs have been suspended on the same charge, and a third has been booked based on a complaint by a BJP leader.
Who is BLO?
According to a 2014 statement by the Election Commission, a BLO is a “local government/semi-government official who is familiar with the local voters and is usually a voter from the same polling area who assists in updating the rolls using his local knowledge.”
Your average BLO could be a teacher, Anganwadi worker or local body employee who has been assigned the additional duty of assisting the Election Commission in ground level work. The important thing is that it is not a stand-alone or permanent job, but an important responsibility added to their primary professional duties.
The main functions of the BLO include maintaining the electoral roll, ensuring that it is accurate and error-free; Door-to-door verification, voter registration assistance, form distribution and collection, voter identity card (EPIC) distribution; Provide assistance on election day by being present at the polling station with the voter list to help voters, manage a help desk, and ensure pickup/drop facilities for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs).
Tough responsibilities to say the least, considering he has a lot on his plate.
BLO workers say the excessive workload and tight deadlines – tasks that would normally take several months or even years are reportedly being sought within a few weeks – are leading to ‘crushing’ pressure and employee protests.
Besides, there are also technical and operational issues, with BLOs reporting difficulties with the official app provided for data entry, citing slow servers, unresponsiveness and data mismatch issues.
There have been reports of BLOs falling ill due to the intense pressure, and in some cases, multiple deaths by suicide have been reported, with suicide notes in some cases blaming the ECI for the ‘impossible situation’.
The timing of the SIR has also been cited as an issue, as it coincides with the monsoon months, major festivals (such as Christmas and Pongal) and the harvesting season, making it difficult to find people at home for verification.
Added to this is the concern that the hasty process and ‘untraceable’ voters, due to rapid migration or other reasons, may lead to names being erroneously removed from the electoral rolls.
In response to these issues, BLO unions have held protests and marches demanding extended deadlines, reduction in workload, and better support from the Election Commission. Two state governments, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, have approached the Supreme Court regarding this matter.
According to the Election Commission, it has deployed 5.32 lakh BLOs for 50.97 crore voters in 12 states/UTs. This means that a BLO has at least 956 voters to manage in a month.
BJP has an extensive list of voters who voted against it. The objective of the SIR exercise is to eliminate all such areas of disagreement.
Former Chief Election Commissioner TS Krishnamurthy says part of the problem is that door-to-door verification – a vital component of the SIR – has not happened in the last 20 years. Now it is being implemented. However, he believes that the genuine concerns of BLOs should be addressed by the Election Commission. “It is true that political parties go too far during voting and this tendency should be avoided.”
The problem is that India is always in election mode, and political parties also have a tendency to go too far.
[ad_2]
