Amid National BLO Suicides: How Rajasthan Heroes Hit 100% SIR in Freezing Weather; Pro Tips Inside

Pratapgarh – In a heartening contrast to the mounting challenges faced by booth level officers (BLOs) nationwide, Pratapgarh district celebrated its dedicated BLOs on Tuesday for their outstanding contributions to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) program for 2026, despite battling cold weather and rugged terrain.

The felicitation ceremony, held at the District Collectorate, recognized BLOs who achieved remarkable milestones in elector form (EF) digitization, with the district reporting 77.11% completion as of 4 PM on November 25. Notably, 13 BLOs in the Pratapgarh Assembly constituency and 24 in Dhariyavad completed 100% digitization.

Deputy Election Officer Vijayesh Kumar Pandya, along with election branch staff, presided over the event, praising the officers for their resilience. "Despite various challenges, everyone has performed admirably," Pandya said during a meeting with officials. He also instructed municipal council employees to fully support BLOs in their assigned tasks. Earlier, Pandya had convened a session with civic staff, urging them to handle responsibilities diligently and assist BLOs without fail.

The success stories shared by honored BLOs highlighted the power of teamwork, community support, and dedication. Yashwant Kumar Raidas, BLO for Part No. 161 (Government Primary School, Diwaladi) in Pratapgarh Assembly, credited anganwadi workers, ASHA facilitators, D.El.Ed. trainees, and villagers for providing timely information, enabling 100% completion ahead of schedule. "Teamwork made it possible to finish early," Raidas said, appealing to fellow BLOs to plan meticulously for timely SIR fulfillment.

Jeevanlal Meena, BLO for Part No. 115 in Pratapgarh, spoke of round-the-clock efforts, maintaining constant contact with village heads and visiting voters at night if needed. Working from 8 AM to 8 PM daily, with full backing from a district team, he completed his tasks successfully. Rajesh Kumar, BLO for Part No. 93, emphasized the role of educated youth in his village, who joined him in early morning sorties and late-night pushes despite the winter chill, wrapping up on time through persistent labor.

Shyam Lal Sharma, BLO for Part No. 46, attributed his 100% achievement to support from his supervisor, anganwadi staff, and a former BLO, starting outreach at dawn. Now, he's assisting colleagues nearing completion. Even in urban settings, Vishnu Mochi, BLO for Part No. 67 (CT Urban Area), overcame challenges with help from assistant BLOs, anganwadi workers, ASHA staff, and school personnel, ensuring smooth execution through collective effort.

Mounting Tragedies: BLO Suicides Linked to SIR Work Pressure Across States

In recent days, the grueling demands of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise have been linked to a series of tragic suicides among booth level officers (BLOs) in multiple Indian states, raising alarms over workload and support systems.

On November 25, a 40-year-old BLO in Uttar Pradesh's Gonda district died after consuming poison, leaving a video message blaming excessive stress from the voter verification drive.

In West Bengal, Rinku Tarafdar, a BLO from Nadia district, died by suicide around November 22, with her family citing the intense SIR responsibilities as a key factor; this marked the second such death in the state since November 9, following another BLO's suicide and a third officer's demise from a cerebral attack in Bardhaman district.

Kerala's BLO Aneesh also took his life amid similar pressures, prompting a statewide BLO boycott on November 24 in protest, while a separate incident involved BLO Antony issuing a suicide threat on November 24, leading to intervention by revenue officials.

In Rajasthan, Jaipur-based government school teacher and BLO Mukesh Chand Jangid committed suicide due to the exercise's toll, contributing to a reported nationwide tally of at least five BLO suicides since SIR commenced, with families of 11 deceased officers attributing their deaths to added duties; election authorities have termed these as isolated cases amid broader commitment to the process.