Kerala Election Official's Viral Audio Sparks Intervention
A viral audio message from a Booth Level Officer (BLO) in Kerala, comparing his work during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to 'slave labour', has prompted direct intervention from the state's top election authorities. The incident occurred amid the ongoing intensive revision process that has put significant pressure on ground-level election staff.
Official Response to BLO's Distress Call
Chief Electoral Officer of Kerala Dr Ratan Kelkar and Kottayam District Collector Chetan Kumar Meena took immediate notice of the widely circulated audio clip and conducted a joint video conference meeting with the distressed official. The BLO was identified as Antony Varghese, who was assigned to the 110th booth under the Poonjar Assembly constituency.
During the emotional audio message that spread across social media platforms on Monday, Antony expressed severe mental and physical strain from the SIR-related responsibilities. He highlighted practical challenges including voters returning enumeration forms improperly filled, requiring him to complete the basic data manually, and the absence of reliable internet facilities at his workplace.
'I have to fill in their basic data... There is no internet facility... The Election Commission and its officials are exploiting us both physically and mentally. This slave labour should be stopped,' Antony stated in the audio clip that captured the attention of both the public and election authorities.
Resolution and Continuing Challenges
According to an official press release from the Chief Electoral Officer's office, during the online intervention meeting, Antony was given the option to discontinue his role as a BLO if the work pressure had become unbearable. However, following the discussion, he expressed his willingness to continue with the electoral revision work.
The district administration has responded proactively by deploying additional personnel to assist Antony with his duties, aiming to alleviate the workload that triggered his emotional outburst. This incident occurs against the backdrop of a recent tragedy where a BLO in Kannur district died by suicide last week, with his family attributing the extreme step to stress related to the same SIR responsibilities.
Meanwhile, the electoral revision process continues across Kerala with significant numbers involved. Officials reported that 2.78 crore enumeration forms need distribution statewide. Current statistics indicate that approximately 2.13 lakh voters could not be traced, likely representing individuals who have either passed away or relocated. The digitization process has covered about 27.42% of the collected forms so far.
