BLO rights body's protest turns chaotic, clash breaks out with cops near CEO office

Chaos broke out in front of the Chief Electoral Officer's (CEO) office in Kolkata on Monday as members of the 'BLO Adhikar Raksha Committee' staged a massive protest. The demonstration was sparked by recent changes to the draft voter list and frequent updates to the official mobile application used by Booth Level Officers (BLOs). The protesters claimed that constant technical shifts and contradictory guidelines from the Election Commission have created immense mental pressure and confusion on the ground.

The situation turned violent when the protesters attempted to scale police barricades to enter the CEO's office. Scuffles broke out between the BLOs and the police personnel stationed at the gates, leading to a heated physical confrontation. The police reportedly detained one protester during the scuffle. The agitating workers alleged that despite multiple requests, the Chief Electoral Officer refused to meet with them to address their grievances regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.

According to the committee, the transition to a purely digital format has been plagued with errors, for which the BLOs are being unfairly blamed by the public. They pointed out that many elderly voters and those in rural or slum areas are struggling with the new documentation requirements, such as ancestral birth certificates. The protesters argued that the current infrastructure is inadequate for the high-pressure demands of the 2026 electoral roll revision.