New Delhi: The SC on Thursday asked all States where the SIR process is underway to deploy additional staff for the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, after taking note of the difficult working conditions faced by Booth Level Officers (BLOs). A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said the move was necessary to reduce the long working hours of those currently engaged in SIR work.
The Court also made it clear that if any BLO seeks exemption from duty for specific reasons, the State government must consider the request on a case-by-case basis and replace the person with another worker. “State is obligated to provide the workforce in case there is a need to increase the same,” the order stated. Further, the Bench said that anyone seeking relief not covered in the order can approach the Court, Bar & Bench reports.
These directions came while the Court was hearing an application filed by the political party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) against the Election Commission of India (ECI), raising concerns about the pressure on BLOs, including reports of suicide by some of them. Appearing for TVK, Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan said, “We have details from 35 to 40 BLOs who have committed suicide. These are all Anganwadi workers and teachers. Section 32 ROPA notices are being sent to them, saying that they will be imprisoned for 2 years if they don't meet deadlines. 50 FIRs have been filed against BLOs in UP. They (Election Commission of India) are taking pride in this. There was a boy who wanted to attend his wedding. He was denied, and he committed suicide. This is a human story.”
Senior Advocate Maninder Singh, representing the ECI, opposed the application, saying, “This is absolutely unfair. These applications should not be entertained.”
The Court noted TVK’s plea that many BLOs were struggling due to health, family and other personal difficulties, and that criminal action was being initiated against those reluctant to perform their duties. Recording its observations, the Bench said, “TVK seeks measures from the ECI for BLOs who are experiencing extreme measures. Applicant is espousing the cause of such employees who, due to health reasons, family circumstances and other individual circumstances, are unable to perform the duties assigned by the Election Commission of India. It is also highlighted that where employees are reluctant to perform their duties, the ECI is filing criminal action against them. There can be indeed no quarrel that employees deputed by the SEC at the disposal of ECI for the performance of statutory duty, including SIR. In case they are facing issues, the state govt can obviate such hardship.”
