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Representative image (PTI)
Residents Encounter Challenges with BLOs
In Hyderabad’s old city, several residents reached out to a booth-level officer (BLO) of the Election Commission to verify their names on the 2002 electoral rolls for the pre-SIR mapping exercise. To their surprise, they were met by a sanitation worker from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation who lacked the knowledge required for mapping voters.
The Incident in Barkas
The situation arose in Barkas, within the Chandrayangutta constituency, when residents discovered the name and contact number of an assigned BLO on the Election Commission website. Syed Jallaluddin Zafar, an activist assisting residents, stated, “About 20 of us were waiting at Al-Qurmoshi Global School in Salala, Barkas. Upon interaction, it became evident that he was unaware of the responsibilities tied to the BLO role.”
Zafar further noted, “He couldn’t read or write in Telugu and simply handed over the phone for us to fill out the online form.” This encounter, recorded and shared on social media, has since gained significant attention.
Guidelines for BLO Appointments
While there isn’t a specific rule against appointing sanitation workers as BLOs, guidelines typically designate this role for government or semi-government employees, such as teachers or clerks, who possess basic literacy skills and administrative experience.
Insights from an Appointed Sanitation Worker
One sanitation worker involved in the BLO initiative commented on their task, stating, “We’ve been provided smartphones for SIR work. Alongside me, about 10 sanitation workers have been recruited for this task. We were instructed to assist individuals in entering their details; if their name appears, we tick it off.” He emphasized his limited ability to read or write in Telugu or English.
Electoral Registration Officer’s Statement
V Surender, the electoral registration officer for Chandrayangutta, explained, “These appointments stem from a severe staff shortage. With many personnel having retired and the scale of the exercise being substantial, this is a temporary arrangement. Although three sweepers are currently functioning as BLOs, they were required to have completed at least Class 9 to ensure basic proficiency. We plan to replace them soon.”
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