Supreme Court Holds States Accountable for Booth Level Officer Deaths Amid Electoral Pressure

New Delhi:

The Supreme Court on Thursday voiced profound concerns regarding the deaths, including suicides, of booth level officers (BLOs) engaged in revising state voter lists.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant held state governments accountable for BLOs' working conditions and psychological wellbeing, asserting that "where 10,000 staff have been deployed, even 30,000 can be deployed" to alleviate the workload and pressure on field workers.

The court directed state governments to grant leave to BLOs requesting exemption from duty, particularly those who are unwell or incapacitated, and to provide substitutes. If such relief is denied, affected BLOs may seek judicial intervention.

These directives came in response to a petition filed by actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which is anticipated to contest the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly election.

TVK approached the court amid controversy surrounding the deaths of numerous BLOs – between 35 and 40, according to the Tamil party – and alleged that the Election Commission was coercing them to work by threatening imprisonment under Section 32 of the Representation of the People Act.

Section 32 stipulates that poll officials involved in preparing, revising, or correcting electoral rolls may face up to two years' imprisonment if found neglecting their duties.

"Every state has families whose children have been orphaned or parents separated because the EC is sending Section 32 notices," TVK argued, while also seeking compensation.

"Our limited request right now is the EC refrain from such drastic action," the party stated, claiming over 50 police cases had been registered against BLOs in Uttar Pradesh alone. "The press is reporting BLOs will be jailed... you cannot do this to school teachers and community workers."

"We have documented facts from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat," senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing TVK, explained. "They are not being permitted to withdraw themselves. That is the problem... this is not voluntary, so you can neither withdraw nor resign."

The court, however, declined to hold the Election Commission responsible for BLOs' deaths. Chief Justice Kant highlighted that BLOs are employees of state governments.

The EC dismissed the petition as "completely false and baseless" and contended that postponing voter re-verification would substantially impact upcoming elections.

Tamil Nadu and Kerala will hold Assembly elections next year, while Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh will vote as well. West Bengal is scheduled for elections in 2026 and is currently undergoing Special Intensive Revision, with additional reports of BLO deaths and complaints about EC pressure.

Framing it as a "humanitarian" concern, Sankaranarayanan noted, "A young man requested leave for his own marriage but was denied and subsequently committed suicide. You are conducting elections, but there must be human consideration and compassion."

The BLO workload issue has evolved into a political controversy, with opposition parties including Congress, Bengal's ruling Trinamool, and Tamil Nadu's TVK and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam raising their voices.

Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee strongly criticized the EC on this matter, demanding suspension of the exercise due to "inhuman" work pressure. She stated that BLOs are "operating far beyond human limits" and condemned the poll panel for intimidating workers.

The re-verification of voter rolls in Bengal – months before elections – has ignited an intense political and legal dispute, with opposition parties accusing the EC and BJP of manipulating voters to secure electoral victories.