All posts tagged: BLOs

ECI rolls out ₹6,000 bonus for BLOs as SIR third phase begins

ECI rolls out ₹6,000 bonus for BLOs as SIR third phase begins

Published by Parlour News

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced a one-time additional payment of ₹6,000 each for Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and their supervisors engaged in the ongoing third phase of the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, a move aimed at recognising their contribution in the process, EC officials said.The incentive was first introduced for Bihar, the pilot state for the extensive exercise. ECI rolls out ₹6,000 bonus for BLOs as SIR third phase begins “We have increased the allowance for BLO after the pilot project implementation in Bihar. This will motivate them to perform their duties to the best of their ability,” a senior ECI official said. In August 2025, the Commission had doubled BLO remuneration from ₹6,000 to ₹12,000 per year, while salaries of BLO supervisors were raised from ₹12,000 to ₹18,000. This was the first revision since 2015. The third phase, ordered on May 14, 2026, across 16 states and three Union territories, is currently underway in Odisha, Mizoram, Sikkim and Manipur, where enumeration began on May 30. Together, the four states …

BLOs required for SIR, don’t assign census work: Election office to PMC | Pune News

BLOs required for SIR, don’t assign census work: Election office to PMC | Pune News

Published by Parlour News

2 min readPuneApr 17, 2026 10:37 PM IST The Pune district election office has written to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) requesting that census work not be assigned to Block Level Officers (BLOs) as it was slowing down pre-SIR mapping being carried out in the district. Minal Kalaskar, Deputy District Election Officer, told The Indian Express on Friday that a letter had been sent to the commissioners of PMC and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation the previous week regarding the issue. “We are not facing any shortage of BLOs. The issue is that some of my BLOs are also having census duty. So we have already given letters to PMC and PCMC commissioners to give census work to some other persons and not our BLOs,” Kalaskar said. In response, PMC commissioner Naval Kishore Ram said, “I haven’t received the letter. But at this point in time, for us, census work is more important. It is a time-bound programme. There is no election in the near future. The census requires a very huge workforce, we have even hired …

Election Commission told to report threats to BLOs or risk chaos, SC warns

Election Commission told to report threats to BLOs or risk chaos, SC warns

Published by Webster

The Supreme Court on Tuesday took serious note of BLOs and other officials engaged in SIR 2.0 being “threatened” in West Bengal and other states, and asked the Election Commission to bring such instances to its notice or “it will cause anarchy”. A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi asked the poll panel to take serious notice of the lack of cooperation by different state governments in the work for Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. “Bring to our notice instances of lack of cooperation, hindrances to work of BLOs and we will pass appropriate orders,” the bench told senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the Election Commission (EC). Dwivedi said that if the situation aggravates, then the EC would have no option but to take police, which is under the jurisdiction of the state government, under its deputation. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day …

Supreme Court steps in as poll pressure on BLOs turns deadly

Supreme Court steps in as poll pressure on BLOs turns deadly

Published by Webster

Taking note of a plea alleging extreme work pressure faced by the booth level officers (BLOs) engaged in the time-bound special revision of the electoral rolls, the Supreme Court directed the states on Thursday to consider deputing additional employees for reducing their working hours. The court was hearing an application filed by actor Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), seeking a direction to the Election Commission (EC) not to take coercive actions under the Representation of the People (RP) Act against the BLOs for not performing the duty in a time-bound manner and pointing out that many of them have committed suicide due to the work pressure. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi took note of the submissions made by senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, who appeared in the matter for the TVK, that some instructions are needed to be issued as many BLOs, who are either teachers or anganwadi workers, have died due to the extreme pressure exerted on them by EC officials. UP vows support as BLO death heat …

360 Degree View | BLOs: The ECI’s Foot Soldiers Walking The Line Between Duty And Collapse | India News

360 Degree View | BLOs: The ECI’s Foot Soldiers Walking The Line Between Duty And Collapse | India News

Published by Webster

Last Updated:December 05, 2025, 09:48 IST Are the foot soldiers of India’s election machinery dying under pressure? ECI says it is motivating BLOs with incentives and rewards. Booth-level officers are in field to distribute enumeration forms to voters for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of election rolls begins in West Bengal. (PTI) At least a dozen suicides. Multiple heart attacks. Several hospitalised for hypertension and exhaustion. And hundreds reporting sleeplessness, fear, and depressive symptoms. These are not figures from a war zone or a natural disaster; they instead highlight the human strain behind the country’s extensive electoral reform efforts. As the work for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll intensified, several states suddenly found themselves grappling with a spate of alleged suicides by Booth Level Officers (BLOs). “Can’t cope with the targets”, “no sleep for days”, “I fear punishment”, “I want to live, but I am failing.” In suicide notes and final video messages, BLOs have allegedly left chillingly similar testimonies. The pattern is striking: despair not born out of personal crises, …

Govt Staff Must Perform SIR Duties, Extra Help Allowed For BLOs Facing Hardship: Supreme Court | India News

Govt Staff Must Perform SIR Duties, Extra Help Allowed For BLOs Facing Hardship: Supreme Court | India News

Published by Webster

Last Updated:December 04, 2025, 14:07 IST Supreme Court suggested that state governments may take steps to address difficulties faced by BLOs, ensuring smooth functioning of voter registration and revision processes. The Supreme Court of India. (PTI File) Amid BLO suicide cases, the Supreme Court on Thursday provided directions to help Booth Level Officers (BLOs) who face hardships while performing duties for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) conducted by the Election Commission of India. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi noted that employees deputed by State Governments or State Election Commissions are required to perform statutory duties, including SIR, as mandated by law. The court suggested that State Governments may take steps to address difficulties faced by BLOs, ensuring smooth functioning of voter registration and revision processes.  The Supreme Court has said that State governments may deploy additional staff to support Booth Level Officers (BLOs) carrying out Special Intensive Revision (SIR) duties for the Election Commission of India (ECI). The Court noted that many BLOs are struggling with heavy …

SIR in Bengal being held under intimidation, ECI must give security to BLOs, says BJP

SIR in Bengal being held under intimidation, ECI must give security to BLOs, says BJP

Published by Parlour News

BJP State president Samik Bhattacharya said party leaders will submit detailed complaints to the ECI in December. File | Photo Credit: ANI Alleging that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal was being held under an atmosphere of “threat and intimidation”, the State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said on Friday (November 28, 2025) that it was the responsibility of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to provide security to Booth Level Officers (BLOs) involved in the exercise. “A situation which has been created in West Bengal by Trinamool Congress where State’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) here cannot work properly. Even the CEO is facing security concerns..,” he said. Mr. Bhattacharya said that the situation in West Bengal is different from other states and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar will have to take responsibility for the situation faced by BLOs in the State where the police and administration is not providing them any security. “Gyanesh Kumar will have to come here ( in West Bengal). He will have to see under what situation are …

BJP, TMC clash outside CEO’s office in Kolkata over SIR; police deploy barricades

BJP, TMC clash outside CEO’s office in Kolkata over SIR; police deploy barricades

Published by Parlour News

Tension flared outside the Chief Electoral Officer’s (CEO) office in Kolkata late night on Monday as BJP and Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers clashed over the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal. A violent fight has broken out between BJP and TMC workers over SIR outside ceo west bengal office(HT photo) Police set up barricades to keep the two groups apart while hundreds of protestors gathered at the main gate of the Election Commission office, escalating an already volatile situation. While talking to news agency ANI, BJP North Kolkata district president Tamoghna Ghosh accused the TMC of sending “goons” to disrupt the process. “These are TMC goons and are here to commit hooliganism… Look at their behaviour and actions. These people are not BLOs… They had come here to the CO office at midnight to commit tampering. We stopped them,” he said. Meanwhile, visuals from the spot showed large groups surrounding the Election Commission gate, shouting slogans and demanding intervention from senior officials. Police teams maintained a tight cordon to prevent …

‘EC, SIR Will Be Responsible’: After BLO’s Suicide In Kerala, Another Officer Threatens Suicide | India News

‘EC, SIR Will Be Responsible’: After BLO’s Suicide In Kerala, Another Officer Threatens Suicide | India News

Published by Webster

Last Updated:November 24, 2025, 16:33 IST Antony, a BLO in Kottayam, threatened suicide over SIR workload, days after Aneesh George, a BLO in Kannur, died by suicide due to similar stress linked to election duties. Previously, a Booth Level Officer (BLO) in Kerala’s Kannur district allegedly died by suicide due to mental pressure linked to Special Intensive Revision (SIR) duties Days after a Booth Level Officer (BLO) in Kerala’s Kannur district allegedly died by suicide due to mental pressure linked to Special Intensive Revision (SIR) duties, another officer posted at Kottayam district has threatened to take the extreme step alleging similar reason. According to India Today, the officer, identified as Antony serving as the BLO of booth 110 in the Poonjar constituency, shared an audio message on the officers’ WhatsApp group detailing his distress. In the voice note, he reportedly said he is “mentally broken” and unable to bear the workload. He said: “For one week, I went to all houses and gave the form. Most of them are giving it back without filling one …

Teachers on BLO duty, Bengal govt schools face staff crunch | Kolkata News

Teachers on BLO duty, Bengal govt schools face staff crunch | Kolkata News

Published by Parlour News

The ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal has adversely affected academic activities in government-run schools in the state, with thousands of teachers – who have been appointed as Booth Level Officers (BLOs) by the Election Commission – busy with door-to-door visits. Many government-run schools were already functioning with a reduced staff strength after the Supreme Court in April scrapped the 2016 West Bengal Staff Selection Commission (WBSSC) panel, leading to the termination of jobs of around 26,000 teachers. At the Narayan Das Bangur Memorial Multipurpose School in Kolkata, 13 of 34 teachers have been given BLO duty. Moreover, even the lone Group C staff at the institution has been appointed as a BLO. Speaking to The Indian Express over the phone, Sanjay Barua, Headmaster, Narayan Das Bangur Memorial Multipurpose School, said, “I’m myself performing the duties of the Group C staff, as I have no other choice. We have got some guest teachers from other schools, and exams are currently underway.” He further said, “This is an integrated school, meaning …