West Bengal Booth Officers Seek Security Amid Threats During Voter Roll Revision

Booth Level Officers (BLOs) in West Bengal have raised concerns over their safety during the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, set to begin in the state from 28 October, The Hindu reported.

The officers have submitted a deputation to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, demanding enhanced security measures.

Swapan Mandal, General Secretary of the Votekormi and BLO Aikya Mancha, said, “Our top priority is the safety of BLOs who are working for the SIR to make the process flawless. There is pressure from many political factions to stop SIR in West Bengal, hence we who work on the ground every day are facing regular threats. We are especially worried about the female BLOs.”

The deputation called for the deployment of paramilitary personnel in politically sensitive areas and sought more women security staff to ensure the safety of female Booth Level Officers.

It also highlighted incidents from several districts where officers were reportedly harassed or pressured by local political groups.

During the announcement of the SIR rollout, the Election Commission acknowledged the crucial role played by BLOs in maintaining the integrity of the voter list.

Earlier, the Chief Electoral Officer’s office had issued notices to nearly 1,000 officers who had declined to take part in the process due to safety concerns.

BJP leaders have asserted that the Assembly elections cannot be conducted fairly unless the SIR process is implemented effectively, while the Trinamool Congress has cautioned of large-scale protests if genuine voters are removed from the rolls. The West Bengal Assembly elections are scheduled for 2026.

West Bengal currently has 80,681 Booth Level Officers.

The Election Commission has assured comprehensive protection for them throughout the SIR process, which begins with training on 28 October, followed by a house-to-house enumeration drive from November 4 to 4 December.

The draft voter lists are expected to be released on 9 December, followed by the publication of the final rolls on 7 February 2026, in preparation for the upcoming state assembly elections.

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