Changes in Booth-Level Officer Appointments

Kolkata, Oct 3: Booth-level officers (BLOs) in more than 2,000 polling booths across various districts in West Bengal are set to be replaced due to significant breaches of the Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines regarding BLO appointments.

An official from the Chief Electoral Officer's (CEO) office revealed that the District Magistrates, who also serve as District Election Officers, have been instructed to provide comprehensive reports on the identified discrepancies.

“The replacement process will commence once the District Magistrates submit their individual reports, adhering strictly to the ECI's regulations on BLO appointments. This replacement will be finalized before the commencement of the ECI's proposed special intensive revision in the state,” stated the insider.

According to ECI protocols, the appointment process for BLOs must be consistent across all Indian states.

Initially, permanent state government employees in Group-C or higher positions, along with teaching staff from state-run schools, should be prioritized for BLO roles.

If there are insufficient candidates from these categories, only then can contractual state government employees be considered for BLO appointments.

However, the CEO's office insider noted that in approximately 2,000 booths across several districts, contractual employees were appointed despite the availability of permanent staff or teachers, and these appointments were made without the necessary approval from the CEO's office.

Recently, Manoj Kumar Agarwal, the CEO of West Bengal, addressed a letter to the State Education Department regarding the unwillingness of some teachers in state-run schools to undertake BLO duties, despite a clear directive from a single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court. The CEO's office has warned of potential disciplinary measures against teachers who fail to comply with BLO duties after a specified timeframe.