The Supreme Court has intervened to reduce the extreme workload faced by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) in Tamil Nadu during the Special Summary Revision (SIR) process, directing the state to provide exemptions and deploy additional staff to ease pressure.
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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court of India has stepped in to address concerns over the working conditions of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) involved in the Special Summary Revision (SIR) process in Tamil Nadu. The Court’s intervention comes amid reports of extreme work pressure, leading to serious distress among state employees, including tragic cases of suicide.
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The bench, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joyamalya Bagchi, heard petitions highlighting that BLOs are being overworked while juggling their regular duties as teachers or anganwadi workers. Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), cited instances where employees were compelled to work late into the night.
He emphasized that invoking Section 32 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, which allows criminal action against employees who fail to perform election duties, has caused immense stress.
Among the alarming cases was a young BLO who reportedly died by suicide after being denied leave for his own wedding due to election duties.
Supreme Court Directions to Ease BLO Workload
Acknowledging the crisis, the Supreme Court issued interim directions aimed at reducing the burden on BLOs:
- Deployment of Additional Staff – States must provide more personnel to reduce working hours for BLOs.
- Exemption on Personal Grounds – Any employee seeking exemption due to health, family, or other personal reasons must be considered on an individual basis, and suitable replacements must be arranged.
- Adequate Workforce Obligations – While state governments must supply the required workforce to the Election Commission of India (ECI), they are encouraged to increase staff strength to ease hardships.
The Court clarified that individual grievances, such as ex gratia claims for families of deceased BLOs, must be addressed through appropriate legal channels and are not part of this interim directive.
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Tamil Nadu has also faced political and legal challenges. Petitions filed by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) allege that the SIR lacks a statutory basis and could be used to disenfranchise voters arbitrarily.
The ECI defended its actions, stating that 68,470 BLOs have been appointed in Tamil Nadu, with over 2,38,853 BLAs from political parties assisting in the process. The SIR, the ECI contends, ensures seamless and efficient electoral roll revisions across multiple states, including Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu.
The Chief Justice stressed that state governments cannot ignore employee grievances and must step in to mitigate undue hardships. The Court also expressed concern about the criminal proceedings initiated against BLOs, noting their inability to cope with the workload, highlighting the need for a humane approach.
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