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Bengal BLO Deaths: Trinamool Accuses Election Commission of Political Bias

The Trinamool Congress has launched a sharp attack against the Election Commission over the deaths of Booth Level Officers. Party leaders allege the Commission is rushing the voter revision process to benefit a particular political party. Two female BLOs have died by suicide recently, blaming work pressure in their notes. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has already written to the EC demanding the SIR process be stopped immediately.

Key Points: Trinamool Alleges Election Commission Bias Over BLO Deaths

  • TMC delegation submits deputation alleging EC favoring one political party
  • Claims 150-200 voters deliberately deleted from each booth
  • Two female BLOs died by suicide citing work pressure
  • Minister alleges 34 citizens died due to fear of SIR exercise
3 min read

Trinamool accuses Election Commission of bias, alleges BLOs being overworked during SIR exercise

TMC accuses Election Commission of political bias amid BLO deaths during voter list revision, demands halt to Special Intensive Revision exercise in West Bengal.

"The work of 2 years is being done in 2 months. The Commission is allegedly trying to give an advantage to a political party. - Aroop Biswas"

Kolkata, Nov 22

The Trinamool Congress on Saturday alleged that the Election Commission is working to please one political party after holding the poll panel accountable for the deaths of several Booth Level Officers (BLOs) in the state in the middle of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) related work.

A Trinamool Congress delegation led by state minister Aroop Biswas also submitted a deputation to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) office in West Bengal in this regard.

The Trinamool Congress said that the Election Commission is trying to do two years’ work in two months, which is putting pressure on BLOs.

"The work of 2 years is being done in 2 months. The Commission is allegedly trying to give an advantage to a political party. The names of 150 to 200 voters are being deliberately deleted from each booth. The Commission’s website is full of mistakes. Several people are dying due to the Commission’s negligence," said Biswas. He was accompanied by state minister Chandrima Bhattacharya and party MP Partha Bhowmick.

The Trinamool Congress leaders claimed that BLOs are being made to work without being properly trained.

West Bengal Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya alleged that 34 citizens have died in Bengal due to the fear of SIR. She demanded that the Election Commission should take responsibility for these deaths.

It may be noted that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has already written a letter to the Election Commission demanding the SIR process to be stopped. Citing the plight of the BLOs and inadequate infrastructure, the Chief Minister said that it is not possible to complete such an important process within the specified time. Banerjee also mentioned in her letter to the Chief Election Commissioner that the common people will suffer.

The TMC’s attack against the poll panel intensified following suicides of two female BLOs in the state while others were falling sick in the middle of SIR-related work.

On Saturday morning, a female BLO hanged herself in Shasthitala area of Krishnanagar in Nadia district. The deceased was identified as Rinku Tarafdar (51). According to the police, a suicide note was recovered from her room where she blamed the Election Commission for her death.

On November 19, a female BLO identified as Shanti Muni Ekka died by suicide due to alleged work pressure during the SIR exercise in the state. The incident took place in Mal Bazar area in Jalpaiguri. The family of the woman alleged that she decided to end her life as she could not bear the pressure of SIR work. On the same day, a female BLO named Tapati Biswas suffered a cerebral attack while conducting SIR-related work.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rajesh Q
While I agree that working conditions need improvement, let's not forget that voter list revision is crucial for fair elections. Maybe the timeline is tight, but this work is important for democracy. Both sides should find a middle path.
A
Arjun K
The allegations about 150-200 names being deleted from each booth are very serious if true. This could disenfranchise thousands of legitimate voters. EC should be transparent about the revision process and share proper data.
S
Sarah B
As someone who works in project management, this timeline seems completely unrealistic. You can't compress two years of work into two months without serious consequences. The EC should reconsider their approach and provide better support to field staff.
V
Vikram M
My cousin is a BLO in North 24 Parganas and he's been working 16-hour days without proper compensation. The pressure is immense and the training is inadequate. This is exploitation of government employees. 😠
M
Michael C
While the concerns about BLO welfare are valid, let's not make this entirely political. The Election Commission has a tough job maintaining electoral integrity. Perhaps they need more resources and staff rather than criticism.
N
Neha E
The fact that people are dying because of work pressure is unacceptable. No electoral process is worth human lives. The EC must immediately

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