Protest Against SIR Workload 2025: On November 24, 2025, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) across West Bengal announced a march in Kolkata to protest against the excessive workload imposed during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. BLOs, who are primarily teachers, para‑teachers, and government staff, argued that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has set unrealistic deadlines, forcing them to complete tasks equivalent to two years’ work in just one month.

The protest, organized by the BLO Adhikar Raksha Committee, reflects growing frustration among frontline electoral staff and raises serious questions about governance, electoral transparency, and worker rights.

2. The SIR Process: What BLOs Are Asked to Do

The Special Intensive Revision is a comprehensive exercise to update voter rolls before the 2026 Assembly elections. BLOs are tasked with:

• Distributing enumeration forms to households.
• Collecting completed forms and verifying voter details.
• Uploading data into the Election Commission’s app.
• Correcting errors and handling duplicate entries.

The exercise 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’ Complaints: “Two Years’ Work in a Month”

BLOs argue that the workload is inhuman:

• Door‑to‑door verification across thousands of households.
• Digitisation of millions of forms within weeks.
• Constant phone calls from voters and supervisors.
• Personal expenses on stationery, transport, and mobile data.

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

4. Protest Against SIR Workload 2025: Deaths and Health Toll

Reports indicate that several BLOs across states have died due to stress:

• In West Bengal, at least two BLOs died by suicide.
• In Kerala and Rajasthan, BLOs collapsed after days of overwork.
• In Gujarat, BLOs reported illness linked to exhaustion.

These tragedies have intensified anger, with BLOs demanding compensation for families and immediate workload relief.

5. Political Reactions

• Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal, wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner demanding a halt to the SIR, citing BLO deaths and “inhuman pressure.”
• Rahul Gandhi compared the SIR to demonetisation and the Covid lockdown, calling it “chaos imposed on citizens.”
• Mallikarjun Kharge argued 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. BLO Adhikar Raksha Committee’s Demands

The committee leading the Kolkata march has outlined specific demands:

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

7. Governance Challenges

The crisis highlights systemic governance issues:

• Unrealistic timelines imposed by the Election Commission.
• Understaffing, forcing BLOs to juggle regular duties with SIR responsibilities.
• Technology gaps, with the BLO app often malfunctioning.
• Financial strain, as BLOs spend personal money without reimbursement.

8. Broader Implications for Democracy

The BLO protests raise fundamental questions about India’s electoral process:

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

The health and morale of BLOs directly affect the integrity of elections.

9. Historical Context: BLOs as Democracy’s Backbone

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 Workload 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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