Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], November 17 (ANI): Booth level officers in Kerala are set to boycott their duties on Monday following the suspected suicide of a BLO in Payyannur constituency in Kannur district.
The deceased identified as Aneesh George allegedly took his life due to high stress over work related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.
According to the Council of State Government Employees & Teachers, the Election Commission is responsible for the suicide of Aneesh George, an office attendant at Kunnaru AUP School, as BLOs are under severe pressure due to the intense voter list revision process. The additional burden of local body election duties has further increased their stress.
The statement noted that despite calls from all political parties and service organisations to postpone the SIR process, the Election Commission has reportedly refused to do so. Instead, it is allegedly setting heavy targets that must be met in an extremely short timeframe, making the tasks nearly impossible to accomplish. As a result, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are being driven to their limits, with some even contemplating suicide.
Hence, under the joint leadership of the Action Council of State Government Employees and Teachers and Teachers’ Service Organisations’ BLOs across the state, are boycotting their duties from today as a form of protest. Additionally, protest marches are planned to the Chief Electoral Officer’s office and to the offices of all District Election Officers (Collectorates), announced leaders of the joint struggle committee, M.V. Shashidharan and K.P. Gopakumar.
Meanwhile, the opposition leader at the state, VD Satheeshan called for a thorough investigation into the suicide of BLO officer Aneesh George. He emphasised that both the Election Commission of India and the government must properly investigate this matter and provide clear answers.
“The government must examine whether BLOs are indeed being overburdened. The SIR process has been imposed by the Centre. A procedure even larger than a legislative assembly election is now underway. The Election Commission must conduct a proper investigation. Many BLOs are working under intense pressure from higher authorities,” said VD Satheeshan’s statement.
The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Kerala, expressed sorrow at the untimely demise of Aneesh George, Booth Level Officer, and extends heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.
According to the Chief Electoral Officer of Kerala, the election machinery continues to work in close coordination during the SIR process to fulfil the mandate of the Election Commission of India, while ensuring that no official faces any undue hardship.
“Shri Aneesh George was a sincere and dedicated official who performed his duties with exemplary commitment during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision. Booth Level Officers are among the most crucial field-level functionaries of the Election Commission of India, serving as the first point of contact for voters and playing a vital role in ensuring inclusive and accurate electoral rolls. During the Special Intensive Revision, District Election Officers and their teams have been facilitating the work of BLOs with the singular objective of ensuring that all eligible voters are duly enrolled. The entire election machinery continues to work in close coordination to fulfil the mandate of the Election Commission of India while ensuring that no official faces any undue hardship. The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer once again extends heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family,” said the Chief Electoral Officer, Kerala office statement. (ANI)
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