Sat Nov 01 20:32:32 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text, followed by a rewritten news article:

Summary:

In Kolkata, West Bengal, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are undergoing training for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. During training, BLOs voiced concerns about conflicts with their existing government jobs (many are teachers), as well as security concerns during door-to-door verification given reports of political intimidation. While officials clarified that SIR duties are typically added to existing responsibilities, they assured that state police would ensure order. Political parties have appointed Booth Level Agents (BLAs) to assist BLOs during the revision process, with the Trinamool, BJP, and CPI(M) providing the most agents. The draft electoral roll is set to be published December 9.

News Article:

West Bengal Election Revision Faces Hurdles: BLOs Demand Clarity, Security

Kolkata, November 2, 2025 – Training sessions for Booth Level Officers (BLOs) in West Bengal, responsible for the upcoming Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, were marked by concerns over conflicting work duties and safety, officials confirmed yesterday.

Roughly 80,000 BLOs, many of whom are already employed by the government, particularly as teachers, are being trained for the door-to-door verification process that begins November 4th. During training sessions held Saturday, several BLOs demanded clarification on how they are expected to balance SIR duties with their regular government positions.

“There is some confusion on how we are expected to attend school while carrying out enumeration work for SIR,” stated one BLO attending a training session. The BLOs must visit each home multiple times and complete their tasks by December 4, when the enumeration ends.

Adding to the concerns, BLOs also voiced apprehensions regarding their safety during the door-to-door exercise. Organizations like the Votekarmi and BLO Aikya Mancha have reported instances of political intimidation and raised concerns with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO). Swapan Mandal, General Secretary of the Votekarmi and BLO Aikya Mancha wrote to CEO Manoj Kumar Agarwal requesting his intervention guaranteeing the safety and security of BLOs, alleging intimidation by political goons.

The CEO’s office has assured BLOs that the State police will maintain law and order during the revision process. Officials clarified that unless instructed otherwise by the Election Commission, SIR duties are expected to be fulfilled in addition to existing responsibilities.

To assist the BLOs, political parties have appointed Booth Level Agents (BLAs). As of October 30, the Trinamool Congress has appointed 2,349 BLAs, the Bharatiya Janata Party 7,912, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) 6,175, the Congress Party 1,255 and the All India Forward Bloc 649. The draft electoral roll is scheduled to be published on December 9th.

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