The Supreme Court of India has directed state governments to address the heavy workload on Booth Level Officers (BLOs), following reports of multiple BLO deaths during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists.
The court expressed deep concern about the rising number of deaths linked to stress, heart attacks, and suicides, and called for immediate action to prevent further tragedies.
Supreme Court Raises Alarm Over BLO Work Pressure
A bench led by Chief Justice (CJI) Suryakant highlighted the extreme pressure faced by BLOs in several states due to the ongoing SIR process.
The court emphasized that the health and safety of these officers should be the top priority. It also urged state governments to ensure that BLOs are not overloaded with work.
States like Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala have seen several BLOs die in recent weeks.
Families of the deceased have blamed the heavy workload for contributing to their deaths.
CJI Questions Election Commission’s View on BLO Workload
During the hearing, the Election Commission (EC) claimed that BLOs are required to process around 1,200 forms in 30 days, and that this workload is manageable.
However, Chief Justice Suryakant challenged this, asking whether processing 10 forms a day could really be considered “no burden,” especially given the physical demands of the job.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal pointed out that in many areas, BLOs need to climb several floors in buildings without elevators to collect data, making the task much harder.
He also explained that in some areas, BLOs have to process up to 40 forms daily, which adds even more pressure on them.
Supreme Court Directs States to Hire More Staff
The Supreme Court has ordered state governments to deploy more staff for the SIR process to help reduce the pressure on BLOs.
The Court suggested that some states should increase their teams from 10,000 to 30,000 workers, particularly in areas where the workload is heavier.
The Court also said that if any BLO is unable to continue working due to illness or health problems, an alternative worker should be assigned immediately to avoid overburdening any one officer.
Opposition Criticizes Government and Election Commission
Opposition parties, including Congress, TMC, and SP, have criticized both the government and the Election Commission for mishandling the SIR process.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called it an “imposed oppression” on both citizens and workers. He pointed to reports that 16 BLOs had died within three weeks, mainly due to stress caused by the SIR work.
Several BLOs have reportedly died by suicide or suffered heart attacks, highlighting the severe pressure they are under. The opposition has called for accountability and better protection for BLOs.
Supreme Court Acknowledges Success of SIR in Bihar
The Court also noted the success of the SIR process in Bihar, where no fake voters or infiltrators were found. This reassured the public about the fairness of the voter list revision.
However, CJI Suryakant stressed that the integrity of the electoral process should not come at the cost of BLOs’ lives. He called for reforms to ensure that BLOs get the support they need to perform their duties safely.
As the Election Commission continues the SIR process, state governments must act quickly to ensure BLOs are not overburdened, and their health and safety are protected.
The Court has made it clear that electoral reforms should never come at the expense of human lives.
