BLOs Raise Alarm as SIR Deadlines Become Unmanageable

Thiruvananthapuram: Complaints are mounting in Kerala against officials accused of imposing unrealistic deadlines on Booth Level Officers (BLOs) involved in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll. Many BLOs, who had previously remained silent due to fear of losing their jobs, have now begun expressing frustration in WhatsApp groups. The crisis intensified on Sunday when an audio message surfaced, purportedly from a BLO claiming he would commit suicide as he could no longer handle the mounting pressure. The message is attributed to Antony Varghese, the BLO of Booth No. 110 in Mundakayam panchayat, Kottayam.

One of the primary concerns among BLOs is the inconsistent deadlines assigned by different districts, resulting in severe mental stress. In the rush to meet targets, many voter forms are reportedly being returned without being properly filled out. Extracting crucial voter-related details dating back to 2002 and completing the required documentation often takes hours. Despite the demanding nature of the work, officers claim that the Election Commission has not provided adequate digital tools or technical assistance.

At the operational level, BLOs are required to process and upload forms through centralized collection hubs. The State Chief Election Commissioner has maintained that digitizing a form takes only one minute — a claim many BLOs strongly dispute based on field realities.

Suicide Threat Draws Official Intervention

Antony Varghese’s distressing voice message prompted immediate intervention from senior authorities. Chief Election Officer Rathan U Kelkar and Kottayam Collector Chethan Kumar Meena spoke with Antony via video call to understand his concerns and emotional condition. During the interaction, the Collector assured him that he could withdraw from SIR duties if the workload proved overwhelming. However, Antony expressed his willingness to continue serving as a BLO.

Officials guaranteed that additional support would be arranged to make the process more manageable. Following this, Kanjirappally Tahsildar P. S. Sunil Kumar, Deputy Tahsildar P. S. Nujumon, and Mundakayam Village Officer Aneesh Loocose met Antony in person, extending assurance and practical assistance. The District Administration has also deployed extra personnel to share the workload and support ongoing verification efforts.