Bengal BLOs stage protest outside CEO office, demand to know why SIR phase-1 deadline not extended

Kolkata, Dec 12 (PTI) A section of booth-level officers (BLOs) on Friday protested outside the CEO's office here, demanding to know why the EC refused to extend the deadline of the first-phase of SIR in West Bengal, despite granting similar relaxations to six other states and a Union territory.

Hundreds of BLOs, mobilised under the BLO Adhikar Raksha Committee, which political rivals often describe as a TMC-leaning platform, gathered outside the office of the chief electoral officer shortly after noon.

Police had erected barricades, but pushing and shoving broke out when the demonstrators tried to move closer to the building, leading to brief tension before the situation was brought under control.

The protesters said the EC's refusal to extend the December 11 deadline had placed field-level officers under severe strain, especially when the time for submitting enumeration forms had been extended elsewhere, including in Uttar Pradesh.

"People are still coming with forms... New instructions are being issued almost every day... BLOs are under unbearable pressure," a protesting officer said.

Another demonstrator claimed that four BLOs had died since the SIR process began and alleged that the poll panel has shown "no concern" for those working on ground.

"Despite repeated pleas, no compensation has been announced by the EC for illness or death during duty. The state provides compensation for election duty-related casualties. Why is the EC not doing the same?" the BLO asked.

The protesters also expressed frustration that fresh guidelines were circulated late on Thursday night, hours after the enumeration phase had formally ended, further adding to their workload.

They said BLOs had been working under "tremendous mental and physical pressure", with some officers reportedly breaking down during training due to the volume of work.

The agitators pointed out that the court had recently acknowledged the extraordinary pressure on BLOs and advised the commission to explore alternative mechanisms and ensure compensation.

Despite earlier demonstrations and written representations, the protesters said their demands, including workload rationalisation, deadline parity with other states, and medical and financial safeguards, remained unaddressed.

They warned that the refusal to extend the SIR deadline had left BLOs "demoralised and overburdened" and vowed to continue their agitation until the EC responds. PTI PNT ACD