Kolkata: Kolkata witnessed renewed unrest on Monday as Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and the members of BLO Adhikar Raksha Committee once again staged a protest outside the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), alleging administrative lapses and unresolved grievances related to their duties. The agitation turned tense when a section of the protesters attempted to cross police barricades set up around the CEO office premises.
According to sources, the BLOs have been expressing dissatisfaction over frequent changes in digital applications, workload pressure, and what they describe as a lack of clear communication from the Election Commission authorities. The protesters claimed that repeated technical modifications in voter-related apps have caused confusion at the ground level, making it difficult for them to carry out verification work smoothly.
The situation escalated when a woman protester allegedly tried to jump over the barricade in an attempt to enter the CEO office. She was immediately restrained and detained by police. Senior police officials, however, stated that the situation was brought under control quickly and no major law-and-order issue was reported. “Barricades were put up as a preventive measure. Action was taken only when protesters tried to breach security,” a police officer said.
The protesting BLOs demanded immediate intervention by senior election officials and a formal discussion to address their concerns. A protesting BLO said “ We were only trained to provide and collect forms. Without proper training they are adding new features everyday. I am a teacher, I want to return to my actual job now.” The Election Commission authorities are yet to issue an official response to the latest round of protests.