The SIR process, currently underway in West Bengal, requires BLOs to distribute and collect voter forms door-to-door, in addition to their regular responsibilities. Officials have acknowledged that the workload is substantial and challenging, particularly given the compressed timeline for completion.
This incident adds to a growing list of deaths linked to SIR duties. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed shock and grief over the incident, noting that 28 individuals, including BLOs and anganwadi workers, have died since the revision process began. In a statement on X, she described the pressure as “inhuman” and accused the Election Commission of compressing a three-year voter revision process into just two months “to please political masters.”
Banerjee urged the Election Commission to take immediate action to reduce stress on BLOs and halt the ongoing drive to prevent further loss of life.
Local authorities and the state Minister for Backward Classes Welfare, Bulu Chik Baraik, visited the bereaved family and offered support. Police have recovered Ekka’s body and sent it for post-mortem examination.
The SIR-related stress has drawn national attention, with reports of similar incidents in other states during the ongoing voter revision exercise. The Election Commission has previously stated that it would hold officials accountable for lapses but has not publicly addressed the mounting concerns over the workload and its impact on personnel.
The incident has intensified debates over administrative pressure on BLOs, the pace of electoral roll revisions, and the broader responsibility of the Election Commission to ensure the safety and well-being of its field staff.
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