Kolkata Booth Level Officers Grapple with App Deactivation, Voter Verification Crisis
Booth Level Officers (BLOs) in Kolkata are facing a significant operational challenge, with the deactivation of the BLO App leaving them unable to verify the current status of electors on the electoral roll. Approximately a week after logging off from the application, BLOs continue to field anxious inquiries from voters worried about potential disenfranchisement due to technical issues.
System Glitches and Document Scrutiny Complications
Despite the conclusion of the Summary Revision (SIR) hearing in West Bengal, BLOs remain on tenterhooks. The inability to access the BLO App means they cannot confirm whether electors' names are still present in the Electoral Registration Officer's (ERO) system. Several BLOs across the city reported that they were unable to upload necessary documents because the names of certain electors had already disappeared from the ERO's database.
Following the SIR hearing, numerous enumeration forms and accompanying documents were returned to BLOs after scrutiny by Election Commission (EC) officials. These BLOs were instructed to collect and upload fresh, EC-specified documents. However, the deactivated app has created a bottleneck, preventing timely updates and verifications.
Voices from the Ground: BLOs Share Their Struggles
A BLO from Howrah highlighted a critical issue: "The forms of 145 electors were sent back to me, and 18 of them are untraceable in the ERO's system. Without a functional BLO App, I cannot check if they exist in the electoral roll. We must wait for the final list, fearing many genuine voters may be struck off due to technical glitches. These anxious electors ask daily about their status, but I have no answers."
With about 80,681 BLOs working across the state, many have received returned enumeration forms. They were directed to upload EC-specified documents from the ERO's system, but this process is now hampered. BLOs emphasize that the electors whose forms were flagged are genuine voters who, under certain circumstances, lack the EC-specified documents such as passports, birth certificates, or Madhyamik admit cards.
A BLO in Ballygunge explained, "Since these voters don't have the specific documents mentioned by the EC, I collected alternatives like ration cards, PAN cards, and land deeds, which I uploaded with my Assistant Electoral Registration Officer's approval. During the hearing, these electors submitted those documents and received no further instructions."
On-Site Challenges and Migrant Voter Concerns
A BLO from Tollygunge recounted, "For sent-back cases, I visited the Survey Building with electors' documents for uploading. Some voters' names were not shown in the ERO's system, so uploading couldn't proceed, even though I recall uploading their documents during the hearing."
Another BLO in Haltu faced similar issues, with about 30 enumeration forms returned due to rejected documents. "When I uploaded the documents, I knew these electors lacked other EC-specified documents. Many are migrant labourers who left for workplaces in other states post-hearing. As per ERO instructions, I visited some electors' homes, but they couldn't produce the required documents. Thus, several long-time voters in my area risk losing their voting rights this time," the BLO stated.
The situation underscores a broader concern about voter inclusion and the reliance on digital tools in the electoral process. BLOs, crucial for grassroots voter verification, are now in a state of limbo, unable to perform their duties effectively without the BLO App. This has led to heightened anxiety among electors and BLOs alike, with fears that technical failures could disenfranchise legitimate voters in the upcoming elections.
As the final electoral list approaches, the resolution of these issues remains pending, leaving many to hope for a swift reactivation of the BLO App or alternative verification methods to ensure no voter is left behind.
