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Bengal Voters Get Doorstep Slip Delivery by BLOs for 2026 Assembly Polls

The Election Commission of India has ordered Booth Level Officers to personally deliver voter slips to doorsteps ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, reviving a practice not followed since 2011. This move aims to ease the process for voters and increase transparency, removing reliance on political parties for slip distribution. Voters will also be able to directly contact their BLO if they do not receive a slip. Concurrently, the ECI has sent multiple reminders to the West Bengal Chief Secretary's office for the release of pending payments to electoral officials involved in revision work.

Key Points: Bengal 2026 Polls: BLOs to Deliver Voter Slips at Doorsteps

  • BLOs to deliver slips door-to-door
  • Practice dormant since 2011
  • Aims for voter ease and transparency
  • Voters can contact BLOs if slips not received
  • ECI pushes for release of unpaid BLO remuneration
2 min read

2026 Bengal Assembly polls: Voters' slips to be delivered at doorsteps by BLOs this time

Election Commission orders BLOs to distribute voter slips door-to-door for West Bengal's 2026 Assembly elections, reviving a practice dormant since 2011.

"This will not only make things easier for the voters but will also make the system... more transparent - CEO office insider"

Kolkata, Feb 7

People who will be voting in the crucial Assembly elections in West Bengal this year, will no longer have to download their voters' slip and take printouts or depend on the local leaders of different political parties for the same, before going to polling booths to exercise their franchise.

The Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will reach the doorsteps of the voters before the elections this time and distribute the voters' slips, as per the latest order of the Election Commission of India (ECI).

The decision had been taken by the Commission following a recommendation from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, on this count.

"As per electoral process rules, it is the duty of the BLOs to distribute voters' slips among the voters. However, this became a forgotten practice in any election in West Bengal since 2011. But this time, the Commission wants to reinforce the practice. This will not only make things easier for the voters but will also make the system of the distribution of the voters' list more transparent," said an insider from the CEO's office.

He also said that in case the voters' slips are not distributed, the voters concerned would be able to contact the BLOs concerned and get the voters' slips directly from them.

Meanwhile, the Commission had sent a reminder to the office of the West Bengal Chief Secretary, Nandini Chakraborty for immediate release of the remuneration amounts due to the BLOs, BLO supervisors, Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) for their engagement in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the state.

This is the third communication made to the office of the Chief Secretary from the Commission in the matter. The first communication in the matter was sent in August last year, followed by the second one in December last year.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Transparency is key! Relying on local party workers for slips always felt a bit... influenced. This brings the process back to neutral officials. Hope the BLOs are properly trained and paid on time, as the article mentions.
S
Siddharth J
A welcome step, but execution matters. In rural areas, will BLOs actually reach every doorstep? And the state govt needs to release their dues immediately. How can we expect them to work efficiently if they aren't paid?
A
Ananya R
Finally! This was the standard practice long back. Good to see the Election Commission reviving it. It removes one more barrier for the common voter. Democracy should be this accessible.
K
Karthik V
The reminder about unpaid remuneration is concerning. If the BLOs and EROs are not motivated, the entire system fails. The state administration must cooperate fully with the EC for free and fair polls.
M
Meera T
As a first-time voter, this makes me more confident about the process. Less dependency on political parties is always better. Hope this sets a precedent for all future elections across India.

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