ECI writes to West Bengal DGP directing police to ensure BLO safety

Officials of the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday (November 28, 2025) wrote to the Director General of Police (DGP) in West Bengal, Rajeev Kumar, urging that all possible measures be taken by the police to ensure the safety and security of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) who are currently carrying out the enumeration phase of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of West Bengal’s electoral rolls. 

“It has come to the notice of the Election Commission of India from various quarters that there is an apparent threat to the safety and security to the lives of Booth Level Officers and other field functionaries. This may prevent them from discharging their statutory duties towards the conduct of SIR,” the letter from the ECI noted. 

In the letter, the ECI directed the police to ensure that there is “no perceptible atmosphere of fear, threat, and undue influence” on these field functionaries and that no untoward incident occurs at any place.

This letter comes three weeks after the enumeration phase began on November 4, prior to which, BLOs from across the State had approached the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal with apprehensions around their safety while distributing and collecting enumeration forms from electors. Multiple BLO organisations had written to West Bengal CEO Manoj Kumar Agarwal earlier this month seeking his intervention in the face of alleged intimidation and threats to the BLOs’ personal safety especially by political goons. 

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Over 80,000 BLOs are currently engaged for SIR in West Bengal. As of noon on Friday (November 28, 2025), 99.83% enumeration forms had been successfully distributed across the State. 

The ECI has also directed the relocation of the office of the CEO on grounds of alleged security breaches following protests by sections of disgruntled Booth Level Officers. “The Kolkata Police Commissioner has been directed to ensure complete security of the existing and new office of the West Bengal CEO,” sources associated with the CEO office said.