Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 18 (IANS) The office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Kerala on Tuesday announced significant progress in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list, stating that more than 96 per cent of the enumeration forms have been distributed across the state.
This achievement is attributed to the dedicated efforts of the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) supported by the district administration and election machinery.
To facilitate form collection and data entry, the district administration has set up special camps, logistics support systems and dedicated centers equipped with technical infrastructure to assist BLOs in digitizing the forms in a timely manner.
Recognized political parties have also been encouraged to nominate Booth Level Agents (BLAs) and set up help desks to support collections, which will reduce the workload of BLOs.
However, despite the CEO’s claim of extensive progress, reports from several areas indicate that SIR forms have still not reached many households, raising concerns over the inclusivity and uniformity of the process.
Questions are also being raised whether this process can be completed effectively within the stipulated time limit.
The bigger issue is the timing of the SIR, which coincides with preparations for the two-phase local body elections to be held on December 9 and 11.
The state government, CPI(M), Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) – the second largest party in the UDF alliance – have all approached the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the ongoing SIR, arguing that simultaneous conduct of the two exercises could lead to administrative confusion, inaccuracies and voter exclusion.
Amidst these concerns, the CEO Office reiterates its recognition of the exemplary dedication of the BLOs and field staff while calling for continued cooperation from the voters, political parties and media.
It stressed that the SIR is being carried out as a collective effort, and officials are ensuring that no BLO or election worker faces any difficulty in the process.
However, on Tuesday a state government official said things were not as they appeared.
“We are facing innumerable pressures and it is a tough job even when higher officials are harassing us,” said a woman officer who found the SIR calculation task very difficult.
This also included the suicide of a BLO in Kannur on Sunday, following which BLOs staged statewide protests on Monday.
–IANS
sg/red