Kolkata : The BLO selection anomalies in West Bengal have prompted the Election Commission of India (ECI) to take swift action. Deputy Election Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti will lead a team to the state next week to review complaints about widespread irregularities in the appointment of booth-level officers (BLOs). Many of these government employees reportedly fail to meet the selection criteria set by the ECI.
The ECI team will personally examine how district-level electoral officials approved the faulty selection process. Officials from the Chief Electoral Officer’s (CEO) office confirmed that the probe aims to ensure accountability in the selection of BLOs.
This review is part of the overall assessment ahead of the forthcoming Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal. Deputy Election Commissioner Bharti will chair the meeting, which will include all top officials from the CEO’s office. District Magistrates (District Election Officers) and their subordinates will join virtually to discuss the issue.
Sources revealed that in nearly 2,000 booths across several districts, authorities appointed contractual government employees as BLOs without the CEO office’s approval—directly violating ECI guidelines. According to those guidelines, only permanent state government employees in Group-C or above, and teachers from state-run schools, qualify for BLO roles. Contractual staff can be appointed only if permanent employees are unavailable and with prior concurrence from the CEO’s office.
Bharti, along with ECI’s Director General (Information Technology) and other senior officials, will arrive in Kolkata on October 7. The team will hold a crucial meeting on October 8 and visit select districts on October 9 to interact directly with local election officials.
Meanwhile, West Bengal CEO Manoj Kumar Agarwal has urged the State Education Department to ensure cooperation from school teachers. He warned that teachers refusing BLO duties could face disciplinary action, as directed by the Calcutta High Court.
–IANS
