"Where 10,000 Deployed...": Supreme Court Pushes States Over Booth Officer Deaths

The Supreme Court on Thursday expressed serious concern over the deaths of men and women – some by suicide – working as booth level officers, or BLOs, to revise state voter lists.

A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant held state governments responsible for BLOs' working conditions and mental health, reasoning "where 10,000 staff (have been deployed), even 30,000 can be deployed" and help reduce workload of, and pressure, on those out in the field now.

The court also told state governments that BLOs requesting exemption from duty, particularly if they are ill or otherwise incapacitated, be granted leave and be replaced by a substitute.

If such relief is not offered, the court said, the BLO in question could approach.

The top court's directions follow a petition by actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, which is expected to make its electoral debut in next year's Tamil Nadu Assembly election.

The TVK had moved the court amid controversy over the deaths of several BLOs – between 35 and 40, by the Tamil party's count – and accused the Election Commission of forcing them to work by threatening them with jail under Section 32 of the Representation of the People Act.

Section 32 states that a poll officer, or other person working towards preparing, revising, or correcting an electoral roll, can be imprisoned for two years if found in breach of duties.

"Every state has families whose children have been orphaned or parents separated… because the EC is sending Section 32 notices…" the TVK argued, also demanding compensation.

"… limited request right now is the EC refrain from such drastic action," the party said, claiming that over 50 police cases had been filed against BLOs in Uttar Pradesh alone. "The press is reporting BLOs will be jailed… you cannot do this to school teachers and community workers."

"We have placed on record facts from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat…" senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for the TVK, said. "They are not being allowed to even withdraw themselves. That is the problem… this is not voluntary (so) you can neither withdraw nor resign."

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The court, however, refused to accept the demand to hold the Election Commission responsible for BLOs' deaths. Chief Justice Kant pointed out BLOs are state government employees.

NDTV Special | Long Hours, Little Pay, Extreme Pressure: A BLO's Life

The EC, meanwhile, called the petition "completely false and baseless" and argued that delaying voter re-verification work now would have a "major impact on elections".

NDTV Special | Deaths, Suicides, Resignations: BLOs Pushed To Edge

Tamil Nadu and Kerala are both scheduled to hold Assembly elections next year, while Gujarat and UP will vote next year. Bengal will also vote in 2026 and there too a Special Intensive Revision is underway, with more reports of deaths of BLOs and complaints of EC pressure.

Framing it as a "humanitarian" issue, Sankaranarayanan responded, "A young man requested leave for his own marriage… but he was denied and he committed suicide. You are conducting elections… but there must be a human aspect and some compassion."

RECAP | Bengal Booth Officers In Massive Protest Outside Poll Body Office

The BLO-workload issue has also become a political row, with opposition parties like the Congress, Bengal's ruling Trinamool, and Tamil Nadu's TVK and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam speaking up.

'Imposed tyranny', says opposition

Trinamool boss Mamata Banerjee ripped into the EC on this issue.

She demanded it halt the exercise over "inhuman" work pressure. They are "operating far beyond human limits", she declared, criticising the poll panel for intimidating workers.

READ | 'BLOs Operating Beyond Human Limits': Mamata Banerjee To EC Chief

The re-verification of voter rolls in Bengal - months before the election - has up a furious political and legal spat, with the opposition accusing the EC and the BJP of voter manipulation to win polls.

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