The Election Commission of India has established a revised schedule of duties for Booth-Level Officers (BLOs) involved in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in West Bengal. Starting from the New Year, BLOs are required to be present at their designated polling booths for two hours daily from Monday to Friday. On weekends, specifically Saturday and Sunday, BLOs must be present for four hours at the respective polling booths. The BLOs are mandated to carry Form-6, Form-7, and Form-8, each serving different purposes related to the voters’ list.
The new schedule, effective from January 2, will run until the final voters’ list is released on February 14 next year, as confirmed by sources from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) in West Bengal. However, the period of mandatory presence at polling booths for BLOs will likely conclude by the end of January due to the upcoming secondary examinations by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) starting from February 2. This adjustment is necessary as most BLOs are teachers affiliated with various state-run schools in West Bengal.
According to sources in the CEO’s office, the primary responsibility of BLOs was prominent during the enumeration stage, the initial phase of the three-stage SIR exercise. Their current role is now more limited in scope. The draft voters’ list was made public on December 16, with the final voters’ list scheduled for publication on February 14 next year. Following this, the Election Commission of India will announce the polling dates for the crucial Assembly elections in West Bengal set for the upcoming year.
