Thousands of BLOs Boycott Work, Protest Against Kerala's SIR Exercise Amid Heavy Workload

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Thousands of booth-level officers (BLOs) across Kerala protested and boycotted work on Monday, citing heavy workload and mental stress associated with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The boycott was led by Congress and Left service organisations, who demanded a deferment of the exercise. The protests, which took place in various districts, including Thiruvananthapuram, were met with police resistance, resulting in scuffles at several locations. BLOs, who are responsible for updating voter lists, alleged that they are facing extreme pressure to meet targets set by officials above them. KP Gopakumar, general secretary of the joint council, disputed the claim by Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar that 94.5% of enumeration forms had been distributed across the state. Gopakumar alleged that BLOs are being forced to upload false data regarding distribution of forms. Meanwhile, an Anganwadi teacher serving as a BLO in Kasaragod district was hospitalised after collapsing during SIR-related duties. The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has joined other opposition parties in filing a petition in the Supreme Court against the SIR exercise, arguing that it is violative of the basic principles of citizens' right to vote. The IUML national general secretary, PK Kunhalikutty, contended that the SIR exercise is being carried out without any consultations with political parties and is putting tremendous strain on the state machinery and government officials acting as BLOs. The recent death by suicide of a BLO in Kannur district due to heavy stress has added to the concerns about the SIR exercise. As the deadline for completing the SIR exercise approaches on December 4, BLOs are urging the Election Commission of India (ECI) to defer the exercise to alleviate the pressure on them. If the ECI does not comply, BLOs may resort to stronger agitations.