Who are BLOs and what is their role in the statewide SIR exercise?

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As the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is underway in several states, the cases of suicides of booth-level officers (BLOs) have put a spotlight on their working conditions.

 

According to media reports, a 46-year-old BLO in Uttar Pradesh's Baheri village recently died by suicide in the storage room of his home, reportedly because of work-related stress. In a note he left behind, he said he was "unable to cope" with the burden of BLO duties.

 

In another incident, a 42-year-old BLO involved in the SIR exercise collapsed at his home in Rajasthan’s Dholpur on November 29 and later died. Police said he had collapsed while uploading voter data late at night. His family alleged that he had been working under extreme pressure.

 

Here’s a look at who BLOs are, what their work involves, their role in the SIR process, and what is causing rising stress levels among them.

Who are BLOs?

A BLO is a local government or semi-government employee who knows the voters of the area well and usually lives or votes in the same locality. Their main job is to help update the electoral roll using their local knowledge.

 

Under Section 13B(2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, BLOs are appointed from staff working in government schools, offices, and other local bodies.

What is the role of a BLO?

A BLO is the Election Commission of India’s representative at the grassroots. Their responsibilities include:

• Preparing an accurate, error-free electoral roll
• Recording, verifying, and updating voter details
• Providing forms for adding, deleting, or correcting voter entries
• Helping eligible citizens register as voters and get their voter cards
• Carrying out physical checks and submitting reports to the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO)

They also interact with locals and political party representatives to identify dead, shifted, or duplicate voters to be removed after the process. This makes their work strenuous.

What is causing stress among BLOs?

The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls is currently underway in nine states and three Union territories. Several BLO deaths have been reported in states where SIR is ongoing, raising concerns about work pressure.

 

According to the Election Commission’s schedule announced on October 27, the SIR began on November 4. Voters in these 12 states/UTs were supposed to submit their enumeration forms by December 4 for the draft rolls to be published on December 9.

 

The tight timelines made the workload difficult for BLOs.

What has the Election Commission said?

The Election Commission on Sunday, November 30, extended the SIR deadline by one week. According to the latest announcement, the enumeration period has been extended to December 11, with the first draft to be published by December 16.

 

The poll panel also shared videos on X showing BLOs taking part in stress-relief activities in Kerala. "Election officials, including BLOs, enjoying break time in between their work under the ongoing #SIR in #Kerala," the polling body said in a post on X.

 

Kerala had earlier sought a postponement of the SIR, saying it clashed with local election duties. However, the Election Commission told the Supreme Court that 99 per cent of voters had already received the forms and 50 per cent had been digitised. It maintained that the SIR work was almost complete and would not disrupt local body polls.

Several states challenge SIR

Bihar’s SIR, ahead of the 2025 Assembly polls, triggered widespread criticism and allegations of "vote theft" from opposition parties. Despite the controversy, the Election Commission considered the Bihar exercise a success and decided to implement the same SIR protocol across other states. However, this move has faced strong resistance.

 

In Tamil Nadu, the SIR has been challenged by several major political groups, including the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the CPI(M), and actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). In contrast, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) has filed an application supporting the SIR process.

 

In West Bengal, the SIR has been challenged by Trinamool Congress MP Dola Sen and the West Bengal Congress Committee, citing concerns about pressure on BLOs and alleged irregularities.