BLOs should get their due

The West Bengal assembly election has just ended with the swearing in of the new government on 9 May 2026. The process started some time in November 2025 with Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI). The SIR process was challenged by the previous government through writ petitions in Calcutta High Court and in the Supreme Court. The last SIR was conducted in 2002 but the process started in 2000. There was a gap of two years between initiation of the process and publication of the final electoral roll. SIR 2025 was no doubt a hurried and hasty process. In the bureaucratic hierarchy of the ECI, the functionaries at the lowest level were the Booth Level Officers (BLOs).

The BLOs were hired for SIR on contract for a fixed remuneration. They were mostly school teachers and were given time-bound assignments to complete the process. The BLOs were new to the job and were given short on-the-job training. Unable to bear the pressure of work and elaborate job description, there were instances of suicides by BLOs, a sad and unfortunate end of lives for being on a job not familiar to them. The SIR process was no doubt a herculean task. The BLOs were required to visit every residential unit in their area of jurisdiction with the enumeration form and get them collected days later. Many voters could not fill up enumeration forms correctly because of lack of knowledge and information. There were several discrepancies in SIR 2002 which was the fundamental data base for SIR 2025. A male voter was shown as a female and vice-versa. In many cases, names of parents were not correctly written.

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SIR 2002 was not a comprehensive database and it left much to be desired. Many families were not even aware that their names were included in SIR 2002, about 25 years ago. Hence, they kept that part of the enumeration form blank. As a result, all such voters were called for hearing and only after production of relevant documents were their names cleared. BLOs cooperated with the voters and tried their best even at the hearing. They did an exceedingly good job within their limitations. Despite this thankless job, they did not receive any credit for smooth conduct of elections in spite of their total support, cooperation, and pro-active role.

BLOs were there at every stage of the SIR and conduct of elections, namely distribution of enumeration forms, collection of forms, assistance at hearing, inclusion of names in SIR 2025 after resolution of dispute, submission of voter information slips and assisting the voter at the booth on the polling day. In many cases, the BLOs did not receive fair treatment from families when they visited them. There were instances of families behaving rudely with the BLOs, which included not offering a chair to sit, not opening the door, not answering the BLO’s mobile phone or answering him in an impolite manner. BLOs came to help the voters so that they could vote. In return they received harsh and unwelcome treatment as if they were criminals. What a shame?

I have no hesitation in stating that BLOs deserve due honour and recognition for performing an onerous responsibility. Mr Kaushik Chakrabarty was our BLO for one part of the assembly constituency 160, which is known as the Rashbehari constituency. He visited every family unit in Jodhpur Park and its adjoining areas, gave proper instructions to the voters, collected the enumeration forms on the stipulated date, and assisted voters in the hearing. Because of his sincere help, active participation, and proper direction, most voters could upload their names in the revised SIR 2025 and cast votes. BLOs have gained valuable experience from SIR 2025 and the assembly election. They visited the voters at their homes and came across persons of varying personalities. BLOs have now become an important source of modern sociological studies.

ECI should encourage willing BLOs to write about their experiences with SIR 2025, overall election experience and voters’ reaction. They will become important source documents for the Election Commission to conduct future SIRs. Mr Chakrabarty teaches literature at Tirthapati Institution, Ballygunge. He did commendable work as a BLO. He should be one of those asked to write a comprehensive document narrating his experience. Such documents can become important for further research and study about the election process of the largest democracy of the world. TV commentators have given Man of the Match or Man of the Series Award to the Election Commission for conducting the fairest election in West Bengal. CEC should understand and appreciate that the spadework was done by the BLOs who were hired from West Bengal schools.

(The writer is a former central civil service officer who retired from the Ministry of Defence.)