Sat Nov 15 22:24:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary and a rewritten news article based on the provided text:

Summary:

Booth-Level Officers (BLOs) in West Bengal, India, are protesting the heavy workload associated with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. They’re demanding an extension of the enumeration phase, assistance with data entry, and clearer guidelines from the Election Commission of India (ECI). The ECI is aware of the issues and a high-level delegation is scheduled to visit West Bengal to review progress and address concerns. The BLOs, largely comprised of government employees, are struggling to balance their existing jobs with the demanding requirements of the SIR, particularly data digitization.

News Article:

West Bengal Election Officials Protest Overwhelming Workload, Demand Relief

KOLKATA, Nov. 16, 2025 – Booth-Level Officers (BLOs) across West Bengal are voicing strong concerns and staging protests over the “unmanageable workload” related to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The BLOs, responsible for distributing and collecting enumeration forms and then digitizing the data, are requesting an extension of the enumeration phase and immediate assistance with online data entry.

“We are facing tremendous pressure and struggling to balance our existing jobs with the demands of the SIR,” said Swapan Mondal, General Secretary of Votekormi And BLO Aikya Mancha. “We have submitted a letter to the State’s Chief Electoral Officer seeking his intervention.”

The primary demands include:

  • Extending the enumeration phase of the SIR.
  • Engaging data entry operators to assist with digitizing forms.
  • Providing BLOs with the ability to edit incorrect information.
  • Issuing clear and concise guidelines to avoid confusion.

Protests took place in Siliguri and Howrah on Saturday, November 15th, with BLOs emphasizing the time and labor involved in uploading data after completing their regular work. Many BLOs, primarily teachers and other government employees, also lack the necessary digital skills for efficient data entry.

Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal has assured the BLOs that their concerns will be addressed and will communicate with the Election Commission of India (ECI) if necessary.

The ECI is taking the matter seriously. A high-level delegation, led by Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti, will arrive in Kolkata on November 18th to review the progress of the SIR and attend a workshop on electronic voting machines (EVMs). The delegation is expected to assess the situation in key districts and meet with local electoral officials. The commission seems intent to tackle the various problems and ensure that the electoral process runs smoothly.

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