A 48-year-old booth-level officer (BLO) in Malda district passed away on Wednesday, with her grieving family pointing to the immense stress and excessive workload from a crucial electoral exercise as the primary cause. The incident has sparked allegations of inhuman working conditions against the backdrop of severe winter.
Details of the Tragic Incident
Shamprita Choudhury Sanyal, a resident of the Phulbari Pakurtala area and an ICDS worker serving as a BLO at Ward 18 of English Bazaar Municipality, died late Tuesday night. She was being rushed to a hospital when she succumbed. Her husband, Ardhendu Choudhury, provided a harrowing account of the days leading to her death.
He stated that his wife was under tremendous pressure due to her duties in the ongoing Summary Revision of Electoral Rolls (SIR) exercise. "She had to work in open fields in this biting cold while collecting papers," he said. The workload was so intense that she could not sleep before 2 am. Fresh instructions from the office in the final days further heightened the pressure, which he believes resulted in a severe decline in her health.
Rapid Deterioration of Health
The sequence of events leading to the tragedy unfolded quickly. On December 30, Shamprita developed a sore throat and fever. A doctor advised her to take rest. However, by Tuesday evening, her condition worsened significantly as she experienced breathing difficulties. The family administered nebulisation, but it provided no relief. The decision was made to take her to a hospital, but she passed away during the journey.
Political Reactions and Allegations
The incident has drawn sharp political comments. Gayatri Ghosh, a local Trinamool Congress councillor, directly blamed the Election Commission's demands. "The inhuman pressure of the EC amid such weather took her life," she alleged.
In contrast, BJP district president Ajoy Ganguly refused to attribute her death directly to the Election Commission's work. The differing statements highlight the politically charged environment surrounding the incident.
The death of Shamprita Choudhury Sanyal has raised serious questions about the working conditions and immense pressure faced by ground-level electoral staff during crucial revision exercises, especially in challenging weather conditions.
