BLO rights body gherao CEO office, clash with police over SIR extension row

A fierce protest by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) erupted in front of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) office today, with the workers demanding compensation and an extension of the deadline for submitting enumeration forms. The BLOs gathered at the CEO office since noon, leading to a tense standoff with police personnel who were prepared for the demonstration. As the day progressed, the protest intensified, and a scuffle broke out between the BLOs and the police as the officers attempted to stop the demonstrators with barricades, leading to pushing and shoving.

The protest, led by the 'Trinamool' BLO Odhikar Manch, comes despite the Election Commission (EC) extending the deadline for enumeration form submissions in six states and one Union Territory, including Uttar Pradesh. Bengal, however, was conspicuously excluded from this extension, a fact which has fueled the anger of the protesting BLOs. One protester stated that the lack of an extension has led to Bengal being "deprived," and the creation of new options by the EC is putting "huge pressure" on the BLOs, especially as many citizens are still coming forward whose forms have not yet been filled.

A core demand of the protest centers on compensation, as three BLOs have reportedly died, yet the Election Commission has taken no action. Another protester lamented, "The commission is issuing new rules every day. The deadline has not been extended." The immense pressure on BLOs has also been acknowledged by the Supreme Court, which previously advised the EC to adopt alternative methods to support the workers and ordered compensation for the deceased. While the State Government has provided compensation to the families, the Election Commission has yet to announce any, leading to today's unified protest on all these critical demands.