Why in news?
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has been carrying out a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in nine states and three Union Territories. During this exercise, reports emerged of several Booth Level Officers dying from stress and overwork. The issue highlighted the critical role of BLOs in ensuring accurate voter lists and prompted questions about their working conditions and remuneration.
Background
A Booth Level Officer is the ECI’s representative at the polling booth level. BLOs are typically local government or semi‑government employees such as teachers, anganwadi workers, panchayat secretaries or electricity meter readers. They are not full‑time election officials but are entrusted with updating and maintaining the electoral roll in their polling area. Section 13B (2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 allows electoral registration officers to employ suitable persons for preparing and revising the roll; BLOs were introduced under this provision in 2006.
Roles and responsibilities
- Electoral roll revision: During intensive revisions, BLOs verify each household, include eligible voters and remove duplicate or ineligible entries to produce an error‑free roll. They play a crucial role in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision.
- Distribution of voter slips: Before elections, BLOs deliver voter information slips to households, ensuring that electors know their polling station and other details.
- Voter facilitation: BLOs act as a bridge between citizens and the ECI. They promote Assured Minimum Facilities at polling stations, identify senior citizens and persons with disabilities, and inform eligible electors about postal ballots and home voting options.
- Promoting election apps: They encourage voters to use ECI applications such as the Voter Helpline App, eVIGIL, Know Your Candidate and Saksham‑ECI to access election information.
- Polling day duties: BLOs assist at the help desk on election day, guiding voters and ensuring smooth conduct of polling.
- Enhanced remuneration: In response to heavy workloads, the ECI recently doubled the annual remuneration of BLOs to ₹12,000 and introduced a special incentive of ₹6,000 for those involved in the Special Intensive Revision.
By professionalising grassroots electoral work, BLOs have increased voter confidence and reduced disputes over voter slips that were previously distributed by political parties.
Source: Indian Express
