The Election Commission of India (ECI) began training Booth Level Officers in West Bengal on Saturday, while concerns have been raised that a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls being conducted in adjacent poll-bound Bihar will also be conducted in the state. West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal did not rule out during the training session that SIR would be conducted in the state as well. It can be held in the future. SIR is a sub judice case. Let the judgment arrive,” Agarwal said. “We are also providing SIR training because we cannot call BLOs each time. They are not our permanent employees. We are prepared for any kind of exercise, even SIR,” he added.
Agarwal informed that West Bengal had 81,000 booths and 14,000 more would be added. “We will train each worker in every booth,” he said.
Training of the BLOs, assistant electoral registration officers and Murshidabad, Nadia, South and North 24 Parganas district supervisors began on Saturday at the Najrul Mancha stadium in Kolkata.
On Saturday, BLOs, assistant electoral registration officers and Murshidabad, Nadia, South and North 24 Parganas district supervisors’ training commenced at Najrul Mancha stadium in Kolkata.
This is Special Summary Revision training, conducted in West Bengal annually in September. This year, it will take place a month ahead of time,” said Dibyendu Das, Additional CEO, West Bengal.
At the same time, the ECI has re-fixed the compensation of BLOs and supervisors of BLOs in West Bengal, where Assembly polls are scheduled early next year. The poll body also announced that BLOs would receive special incentives for participating in special drives.
As per sources, the ECI has written to all CEOs saying, “…the Commission has directed that minimum following annual remuneration should be paid to BLOs and BLO supervisors: Booth Level Officer (BLO)-Rs 12,000, BLO Supervisor-Rs 18000, Special Incentive to BLO (for SSR/SR and any other special drive) Rs 2000.” Sources in ECI told that BLOs used to receive Rs 6,000 previously.
The ruling Trinamool Congress, in turn, stated the party will not let an SIR in Bengal happen. “The Election Commission is trying to favor the BJP in all voting states. They will attempt that, but the job in Bengal won’t be easy, because in each booth of the state, the TMC has an organization. Each genuine voter has contact with the TMC.”. This conspiracy won’t be successful in West Bengal, as the TMC activists will be present at all booths in the state,” TMC spokesperson Jayprakash Majumder stated.
