New Delhi, Dec. 5 -- The Supreme Court on Thursday underscored that states governments cannot distance themselves from their statutory obligation to provide adequate manpower for electoral work, making it clear that they are duty-bound to ensure the availability of booth level officers (BLOs) for the Election Commission of India (ECI) during the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. If existing employees are overburdened or face genuine hardship, states must be ready with substitutes, the court ordered.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said that employees deputed for SIR are required to perform statutory duties and that states cannot withdraw personnel without providing repla...