Mon Dec 15 17:46:59 UTC 2025: Summary:

The Communist Party of India (CPI) is urging Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to relieve village and ward secretariat employees from their duties as Booth Level Officers (BLOs). The CPI argues that assigning these responsibilities solely to secretariat staff is causing excessive workload, stress, and health problems, leading to deaths among employees. The CPI leader cited that disciplinary actions are being issued to secretariat staff performing BLO duties. The CPI reminded Mr. Naidu that he previously demanded secretariat staff be relieved from BLO responsibilities.

News Article:

CPI Demands Andhra Pradesh CM Relieve Secretariat Staff of Election Duties Following Employee Deaths

VIJAYAWADA, INDIA – December 15, 2025 – The Communist Party of India (CPI) is putting pressure on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to exempt village and ward secretariat employees from serving as Booth Level Officers (BLOs), citing concerns over excessive workload and employee health. In a letter to the Chief Minister, CPI State Secretary Gujjula Eswaraiah highlighted that assigning BLO responsibilities solely to secretariat staff violates Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines and has resulted in undue stress and even deaths among employees.

Eswaraiah pointed out that secretariat employees are also burdened with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, compounding their workload. He noted that four secretariat employees have died in the past two months, including a 41-year-old ward secretariat staffer from Kurnool district.

The CPI leader also raised alarm over disciplinary actions, such as memos and suspensions, being issued to secretariat staff performing BLO duties. He said that in Kurnool district alone, over 600 secretariat employees have received show-cause notices. Eswaraiah reminded Chief Minister Naidu of his previous stance when in the opposition, where he had demanded that secretariat staff be relieved from these same election-related responsibilities. The CPI is urging immediate action to alleviate the burden on secretariat employees and prevent further health issues.

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