Supreme Court warns EC over threats to BLOs under SIR 2.0, says inaction could cause anarchy

Booth Level Officers (BLOs) under banner of ‘BLO Adhikar Raksha Committee’ stage a protest over alleged excessive workload during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Pic/PTI

The Supreme Court on Tuesday took serious note of BLOs and other officials engaged in SIR 2.0 being "threatened" in West Bengal and other states, and asked the Election Commission to bring such instances to its notice or "it will cause anarchy".

A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi asked the poll panel to take serious notice of the lack of cooperation by different state governments in the work for Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

"Bring to our notice instances of lack of cooperation, hindrances to work of BLOs and we will pass appropriate orders," the bench told senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the Election Commission (EC).

Dwivedi said that if the situation aggravates, then the EC would have no option but to take police, which is under the jurisdiction of the state government, under its deputation.

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