Kolkata: Booth level officers (BLOs) and their supervisors, even as the exercise of special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral roll was over on their part, were asked not to leave the city until the judicial scrutiny of their electors is over.
The reason cited by EROs or AEROs was that the BLOs, who worked at the ground level since the rollout of SIR, might be called to appear before judicial officers. Several BLOs stated that they either postponed their plans or cancelled their bookings following this instruction.
A BLO in Maniktala, whose 12 electors were placed under adjudication, said, "The SIR work on my part is over. I thought of visiting Digha or Mandarmani with my family for a change. But AERO asked me to be available in case the judicial officer summons me for any clarification about any adjudication case. That means I will have to stay put in the city until the supplementary list is out."
A 40-year-old BLO in Behala cancelled her family trip to Garpanchakot in Purulia last week after she was asked to stay back in the city by the ERO. "I called my ERO to inform him that I would go for a 3-day vacation. But the officer denied me permission, stating that I may be called to appear before the magistrate during the adjudication hearing process. We planned the trip for long but had no other way but to cancel it," said the BLO, a teacher.
A supervisor in south Kolkata conceded that the BLOs have better knowledge about the electors and their enumeration documents.
"Personally, I feel that BLOs should also get a chance to speak before the judicial officer. Being a supervisor, I also got the same instruction, but I have to depend on my BLOs who carried out the enumeration process at the ground level. However, those who have no elector under judicial lens are free," she said.
Most of the BLOs returned to their workplaces following the conclusion of the SIR hearing on Feb 14.