New Delhi. The Supreme Court has expressed grave concern over the deaths and suicides of several men and women working as Booth Level Officers (BLOs) engaged in the ongoing Voter Intensive Verification (SIR) in different states. During this period, the Supreme Court has issued several instructions to reduce the problems of BLOs. The bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi has ordered the concerned states to deploy additional staff for SIR duty. So that the working hours of the people engaged in SIR can be reduced and the mental burden on them can be eliminated. The Supreme Court bench made it clear that if booth level officers ask for leave citing specific reasons, then it should be considered on a case-to-case basis. During the hearing, Chief Justice Surya Kant held the state governments responsible for the working conditions and mental health of BLOs, and said that where 10,000 staff are deployed, can 30,000 staff also be deployed there? The apex court reprimanded the states and asked why this was not done?
The Supreme Court asked the state governments to give leave to those BLOs who are seeking exemption from duty, especially if they are ill or incapacitated for any other reason and to be replaced by someone else. The top court gave a big relief to the BLO and said that if such relief is not provided by the state, then the concerned BLO can directly approach the court. The apex court’s directions came following a petition filed by actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam, which is expected to contest the Tamil Nadu assembly elections for the first time next year.
TVK had moved the court amid the controversy over the deaths of several BLOs. The Tamil party has said in its petition that around 35 to 40 BLOs have died and accused the Election Commission of forcing them to work by threatening to send them to jail under Section 32 of the Representation of the People Act.
TVK argued in its petition, “There are such families in every state, whose children have become orphans or parents have been separated… because the Commission is sending notices under Section 32.” The petition also demands compensation for the families of BLOs who die or commit suicide. The party said, …right now the only request is that the Commission should not take such strict action. The party claimed that more than 50 police cases have been registered against BLOs in Uttar Pradesh alone.