PATNA, May 18 -- Even as the Election Commission of India (ECI) urges political parties to ensure higher representation of Booth Level Agents (BLAs) at polling stations, Bihar's major parties are struggling to comply due to a shortage of grassroots workers. With over 77,000 booths currently in place and the possibility of the number rising to one lakh for the upcoming Assembly elections in October, parties face the daunting task of appointing BLAs across the state. An estimated 7.7 lakh BLAs would be required for the 10 recognised political parties-assuming each party posts one agent at each of the existing 77,000 polling booths. This number could rise to approximately 10 lakh if polling stations are increased, following the ECI's directive to limit each station to 1,200 voters. Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Bihar, Vinod Singh Gunjiyal, recently met with representatives of political parties to stress the importance of appointing BLAs in time. He stressed that their critical role in electoral roll revision, name inclusion or deletion, and on polling day to monitor voting and report any irregularities, including issues related to Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). "Although it's not mandatory to appoint BLAs at every booth, we have encouraged parties to do so as extensively as possible to enhance scrutiny and ensure a transparent electoral process," said CEO Gunjiyal. So far, the state election department has received a list of 1.42 lakh BLAs from the 10 recognised parties. Among them, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has the highest number, with over 50,000 BLAs, followed by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) with around 47,000. The CPI-ML (Liberation), a major left-wing party, has also reported approximately 36,000 BLAs. However, other recognised parties-including the Janata Dal (United), Congress, Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) [HAM(S)], CPI, and CPM-are significantly lagging behind in BLA appointments. CPI-ML state secretary Kunal acknowledged the challenge, stating, "We are mobilising workers at district and block levels to appoint new BLAs in the coming months." Adding to the challenge is the requirement that a BLA must be a registered voter in the booth where they are appointed. This has proven difficult, even for larger parties, due to limited cadre presence across all 243 Assembly constituencies. "As per the rules, a BLA must be a voter in the booth they represent. That's a significant hurdle, especially in areas where we lack presence. However, we're confident of increasing our numbers as our organisational network is strong," said BJP leader Radhika Raman, who oversees election affairs for the party. RJD spokesperson Chittaranjan Gagan, who participated in the CEO's meeting, said the party has about 52,000 BLAs on record. He added that district and block units have been instructed to recruit more agents to ensure maximum coverage....