Raising serious concerns over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, committee chairperson Tamilselvan has alleged that Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are being subjected to “inhumane and unwarranted pressure” due to unrealistic timelines and administrative monitoring.
Addressing the media, TSG Bhasker and Tamilselvan said the continuous field inspections and reviews by Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) and Additional District Magistrates (ADMs) have created intense pressure on BLOs, who are already overburdened with responsibilities across challenging terrain and weather conditions.
Under the current SIR exercise, each BLO has been assigned around 990 houses and is required to visit every household three times to distribute forms, collect information, and upload data to the designated portal. The entire process, distribution, collection, and uploading, has been ordered to be completed within 30 days, which Tamilselvan described as “humanly impossible” in the island context.
“Each booth covers nearly 900 to 950 voters. BLOs are climbing house to house in harsh weather and difficult terrain. This is not a routine clerical task but an intense field operation,” he said.
Citing the toll on staff mental health, Tamilselvan pointed out that across the Andaman Islands, 16 deaths have been reported recently, of which nine were suicides allegedly linked to work-related stress. “While not all are directly connected, the mounting administrative pressure cannot be ignored,” he said.
He questioned the urgency of completing the SIR within a month when PRI elections in North Andaman are still at least 1.5 years away. “The timeline could easily be extended. There is no justification for pushing BLOs to breaking point, especially when no additional remuneration is being paid to government servants,” he added.
Tamilselvan also challenged official claims of progress. “Two days ago, it was stated that 98.54 per cent distribution was completed. On the ground, many BLOs haven’t even received enough forms. Actual distribution is around 65 per cent, while form returns are below 45 per cent due to lack of public awareness and interest,” he said.
He stressed that a BLO can realistically cover only 15–20 houses per day, making the expectations set by the administration “inhumane”. Further, he raised concerns about residents who are currently living outside the islands for work or personal reasons, asking what provisions have been made to include them in the SIR.
According to Tamilselvan, the committee has been visiting municipal booths and interacting with BLOs to prepare ground reports, which have been submitted to the authorities. Despite concerns being raised with the Election Commission, he said, there has been no pause or relaxation in the process.
He also flagged discrepancies between data shared by the Election Commission, the administration, and ground staff, stating that numbers “do not add up” and calling for transparent, real-time data disclosure.
“The entire government machinery from multiple departments has been pulled into this exercise, paralysing routine public services,” Tamilselvan said, urging the administration to extend the SIR process by at least 15 days and make it more streamlined and conducive for both staff and citizens.
Concluding, he appealed to the public to cooperate by promptly returning forms to BLOs, calling the SIR a “serious democratic task”. He also said that BLOs requiring emotional or professional counselling could reach out to the TSG Foundation for additional support.
“The pressure on BLOs is condemnable. This process must respect human limits while safeguarding electoral integrity,” he added.
