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 replacements. The bench delivered the directions while hearing a plea by Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), the party of actor Vijay, highlighting the reported pressure experienced by some BLOs, including suicides by some officers, allegedly due to the heavy workload and coercive action initiated by the ECI under the Representation of the People Act (RoPA). "The employees who have been deputed by the state governments/state election commissions at the disposal of the ECI for the purpose of performing statutory duties, including SIR, are obligated to perform such duties," the court said.P4...