Bengal approves govt jobs for kin of 61 people who died due to SIR-related anxiety

Kolkata: The state Cabinet has approved a provision of government jobs to the families of those who allegedly died during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the state.

According to Nabanna sources, the state has identified 61 affected families in which one member each will be provided with a government job.

Several deaths have occurred in the state during the ongoing SIR work, allegedly due to stress, anxiety and work-related pressure. Apart from members of the general public, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) engaged in the revision exercise have also lost their lives.

The ruling Trinamool Congress has repeatedly blamed the Election Commission for the situation, alleging that unplanned execution and excessive pressure led to the tragic incidents.

From the outset, the state government and the ruling party had vowed to stand by the affected families. In this backdrop, Nabanna has now decided to offer government employment to the next of kin of those who died during the SIR process.

The SIR of electoral rolls had begun in the last week of October. The final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on February 28. Completing the entire exercise within a limited timeframe posed a considerable challenge. Some were unable to cope with the mental stress and allegedly died by suicide, while others reportedly fell ill due to work pressure and died prematurely.

On the other hand, ordinary voters also faced anxiety during the SIR process. Issues such as lack of adequate documentation or the receipt of a hearing caused concern among many. Fear over whether their names would remain in the final electoral roll reportedly led some individuals to take extreme steps or suffer stress-related health complications.