The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has requested the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Karnataka to establish a structured mechanism for elected representatives to engage with Booth Level Officers (BLOs) during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Congress leader Ramesh Babu, in a representation to the Chief Electoral Officer, sought clarity on the role of Members of Parliament (MPs), Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), and Members of the Legislative Council (MLCs) in addressing voter-related issues with BLOs and election officials.
Referring to Section 13B(2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, Ramesh Babu highlighted the statutory responsibilities of BLOs concerning electoral roll revision, voter verification, and other tasks assigned by the Election Commission of India. He emphasized the importance of a transparent mechanism for public representatives to interact with BLOs and supervisory election officials to address specific issues related to voter enumeration and electoral inclusion.
Ramesh Babu stressed the need for BLOs to maintain impartiality and operate independently in accordance with electoral laws and regulations. He proposed that interactions between public representatives and BLOs should focus solely on voter-service and grievance-related matters, without influencing the decision-making authority of election officials. The representation also called for instructions allowing elected representatives to engage with BLOs on voter-service issues during the SIR process, emphasizing the importance of a transparent framework for such interactions.
