Kolkata, Nov. 3 -- A section of booth-level officers (BLOs), assigned to conduct door-to-door verification for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bengal's electoral rolls beginning Tuesday, voiced concerns over a lack of clarity regarding attendance-related issues.

BLOs from several Assembly constituencies in South Kolkata gathered at the Survey Building on Monday to collect enumeration forms and verification kits ahead of the exercise.

"Most of us assigned BLO duties are schoolteachers, but our schools have not assured us that attendance will be marked on the days we carry out door-to-door verification for the SIR," said a lady teacher from a Kasba school.

"It's not possible to attend school every day while simultaneously completing the enumeration work. We've requested the Election Commission to officially recognise our BLO assignment days as 'on duty'," she added. "We have to visit each house at least three times for filling up the emuneration forms and verifying them. Our school has 2600 students, and not being able to attend school will affect academics. The booth with which I am charged has more than 1200 voters.

It would have been better if another BLO was appointed," complained a teacher who went to Jessop Building, the office of the North Kolkata DEO (District Electoral Officer), to collect his kit containing an identity card and cap. A section of BLOs has also demanded adequate security, citing that they will be required to work even during evening hours.

The Election Commission has trained 80,861 BLOs for the enumeration exercise, which will continue till December 4. A senior EC official said that the concerns raised by the BLOs are being reviewed.

An official in the state CEO office said that the matter related with 'on duty ' of the BLOs have been forwarded to the Election Commission of India. Till any such directive comes from the poll panel, the BLOs will have to discharge SIR duties throughout the day. The CEO office held.a video conference with the DEOs on Monday and communicated this to them.

A special team from ECI led by Deputy Election Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti will arrive in the state on November 5. They will be visiting North Bengal to oversee SAR activities.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.