West Bengal BLO Protest Against SIR: On November 24, 2025, hundreds of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) marched through the streets of Kolkata, demanding relief from the crushing workload imposed by the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The BLOs, comprising teachers, assistant teachers, and other government employees, carried placards and shouted slogans under the banner of the BLO Adhikar Raksha Committee.

Their demand was simple yet urgent: stop treating them as machines. The SIR exercise, they argued, was equivalent to two years’ worth of work compressed into a single month, leaving them exhausted, ill, and in some cases, dead.

2. West Bengal BLO Protest Against SIR: The SIR Exercise: What It Involves

The Special Intensive Revision is a nationwide exercise to cleanse and update voter rolls. BLOs are tasked with:

• Distributing enumeration forms to households.
• Collecting completed forms from voters.
• Mapping data with the 2002 electoral rolls.
• Uploading information into the Election Commission’s app.

In West Bengal, the house‑to‑house enumeration began on November 4, 2025, and is scheduled to end on December 4, 2025, with draft rolls to be published on December 9, 2025.

3. BLOs Speak: “Beyond Human Limits”

BLOs described their ordeal:

• 12‑hour workdays without rest.
• Carrying heavy files and forms across neighborhoods.
• Spending personal money on stationery, data packs, and transport.
• Facing harassment from voters who refuse to accept forms.

One BLO told reporters: “We have been asked to complete tasks within a short period of time, but such work usually takes more than two years.”

4. Deaths Linked to SIR Stress

The protests were fueled by reports of BLO deaths across multiple states:

• In West Bengal, three women BLOs died, two by suicide.
• In Rajasthan, a teacher collapsed and died after days of overwork.
• In Kerala, BLO Aneesh George died by suicide.
• In Gujarat, BLOs reported illness and exhaustion.

National leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge cited these deaths, calling the SIR an “imposed tyranny” and comparing it to demonetisation and the Covid lockdown.

5. Political Reactions

• Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal, wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner demanding a halt to the SIR exercise, arguing that BLOs were being pushed “beyond human limits.”
• Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of unleashing chaos under the guise of reform.
• Kharge warned that the actual number of BLO deaths was far higher than reported.

The issue has thus become a national political controversy, with opposition parties accusing the Election Commission of negligence.

6. BLOs’ Demands

The BLO Adhikar Raksha Committee presented clear demands:

• Extension of deadlines for SIR tasks.
• Compensation for deceased BLOs’ families.
• Reimbursement of expenses incurred during enumeration.
• Clear guidelines and reduced workload.
• Recognition of BLOs as essential electoral staff with proper benefits.

7. Governance Challenges

The crisis highlights systemic issues:

• Unrealistic timelines: Two years’ work compressed into one month.
• Understaffing: BLOs juggle regular duties with SIR responsibilities.
• Technology gaps: The EC’s app is slow and error‑prone.
• Financial strain: BLOs spend personal money without reimbursement.

8. Broader Implications for Democracy

The BLO protests raise fundamental questions:

• Can electoral rolls be updated fairly if BLOs are overworked?
• Will errors and omissions disenfranchise voters?
• Does the Election Commission risk losing credibility?

The health and morale of BLOs directly affect the integrity of India’s electoral process.

9. Historical Context: BLOs as the Backbone of Elections

Since their introduction, BLOs have been the foot soldiers of democracy, ensuring that every voter is counted. Yet they remain underpaid, overworked, and underappreciated. The current protests echo past grievances about workload, recognition, and compensation.

10. Recommendations for Reform

Experts suggest:

• Staggered timelines for voter roll revision.
• Hiring additional staff to support BLOs.
• Improved technology for faster digitisation.
• Compensation packages for BLO families.
• Policy reform to recognize BLOs as permanent electoral staff.

11. Conclusion: A Cry for Justice

The West Bengal BLO Protest Against SIR Stress 2025 is not just about workload; it is about dignity, recognition, and the survival of democracy’s frontline workers. Unless the Election Commission addresses their demands, the credibility of the 2026 Assembly elections may be at risk.

The BLOs’ cry — “Two years’ work in a month” — is a reminder that democracy cannot function without respecting the human limits of those who safeguard it.

🔗 Government External Links

For further reading and official updates, here are relevant government sources:

• Election Commission of India (ECI): https://eci.gov.in
• Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal: https://ceowestbengal.nic.in
• National Voters’ Service Portal (NVSP): https://www.nvsp.in
• Ministry of Law and Justice – Representation of People Act, 1950: https://legislative.gov.in
• Press Information Bureau (Government of India): https://pib.gov.in

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