SIR in Bengal: 2,000 BLOs Face Replacement Over ECI Norms

Kolkata: Booth-level officers in over 2,000 booths across various districts of West Bengal might face replacement shortly, highlighting ongoing issues related to the SIR in Bengal. This follows severe violations of the Election Commission of India (ECI)’s directives regarding BLRO appointment criteria. Therefore, this situation underscores issues related to the SIR in Bengal.

An insider from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said that the District Magistrates concerned also serve as District Election Officers for the districts where authorities identified these 2,000 booths, a critical factor for the upcoming SIR in Bengal. They have already received directives from the CEO’s office. They must submit detailed reports on the anomalies to the CEO’s office.

“Once the District Magistrates submit their individual reports, the officials will start replacing the irregular appointments. This will be done by strictly following the ECI-set guidelines on BLO appointments. Under any circumstance, authorities will complete the replacement procedure before the ECI begins the proposed special intensive revision in the state,” the CEO office insider said, emphasizing the significant role of the SIR in Bengal.

The ECI guidelines require a uniform appointment pattern for BLOs across all Indian states.

First, authorities should consider permanent state government employees in the Group-C category or above, along with teaching staff in state-run schools, for BLO appointments.

If officials cannot find adequate numbers from the Group-C category or teaching staff in state-run schools, then they may consider contractual state government employees for BLO appointments.

However, the CEO’s office insider said that officials must justify each contractual staff appointment as a BLO at the district level. They also need to obtain concurrence from the CEO’s office.

“Recently, the CEO’s office noticed that officials appointed contractual state government employees in around 2,000 booths across several districts. This occurred even though permanent state government employees or teachers in state-run schools were available. Moreover, officials made all these irregular appointments without seeking concurrence from the CEO’s office,” the insider added.

Recently, CEO West Bengal Manoj Kumar Agarwal sent a letter to the State Education Department. He complained that some teaching staff in state-run schools showed reluctance to accept BLO duty, despite clear instructions from a single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court. The CEO’s office also warned that it would take disciplinary action against teachers who fail to join BLO duties within the specified period.

–IANS