Mass Resignation by 50 BLOs Sparks Tension Over SIR Process in West Bengal’s Farakka Block

Around 50 Booth Level Officers protest alleged harassment of citizens, procedural inconsistencies, and administrative pressure during Special Intensive Revision (SIR), prompting a heated standoff at the Block Development Office

KalimNews, Kolkata, 14 January 2026: Tensions escalated in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district on Wednesday as around 50 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) submitted a collective resignation to the Block Election Officer (ERO) in Farakka block, protesting what they described as harassment of ordinary citizens in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. The resignation comes amid mounting complaints regarding repeated changes in instructions and procedural ambiguities, which BLOs claim have created confusion and led to unnecessary distress for the public.

According to sources, the BLOs allege that directives from the Election Commission, often sent via WhatsApp, keep changing without clear and consistent guidance. Initially, officials were told that simply filling out forms would complete the process. However, subsequent instructions required citizens to appear multiple times for hearings, creating significant inconvenience. During one such hearing, an incident of vandalism occurred at the Farakka Block Development Office (BDO), further intensifying the situation.

A delegation of more than 30 BLOs, accompanied by local political leaders from the Trinamool Congress, including MLA Monirul Islam, reportedly presented their grievances concerning procedural irregularities. Tensions escalated following remarks attributed to MLA Islam, who was captured on video suggesting religious bias in the SIR process, stating that individuals with certain names were being treated differently. The comments allegedly inflamed the atmosphere, and some attendees reportedly engaged in acts of vandalism at the BDO office.

BLOs expressed serious concerns over the potential deletion of legitimate voters’ names from the electoral rolls. They reported that citizens with large families were being questioned, despite no constitutional provisions relating to the number of children. Many BLOs, who are also school teachers, stated that the additional administrative burden, coupled with professional responsibilities, was unsustainable. They cited repeated procedural changes, unclear instructions, and lack of training as key reasons for their collective resignation, emphasising that they could no longer fulfil their duties without causing undue inconvenience to citizens.

The protests have sent shockwaves through Farakka’s political and administrative circles. Since the inception of the SIR process, multiple complaints have surfaced across the state, with ruling party members acknowledging discontent among officials. BLOs highlighted technical issues with the Election Commission’s servers, discrepancies between the 2002 voter list and current rolls, and app malfunctions, all of which hindered their work.

One protesting BLO, Mir Nazir Ali, remarked, “During the first phase of SIR, we were instructed to remove absent, shifted, or deceased voters from the list. Now, new tasks are being assigned continuously without any proper training. Instructions issued in the morning are changed by evening. It has become impossible for us to perform our duties effectively.” Another BLO, Syed Taj Islam, added, “The current SIR process risks removing most legitimate voters from the rolls. Many voters corrected their details through Form 8 according to Election Commission laws, but now we cannot submit older documents on their behalf.”

The mass resignation coincided with a sit-in by BLOs at the Farakka BDO office, who halted hearings to stage their protest. Several Trinamool Congress leaders, including MLA Monirul Islam, joined the demonstration, resulting in blocked office access and temporary suspension of proceedings. Reports indicated that, as the protest grew, some individuals engaged in vandalism, throwing chairs and causing damage.

BLOs clarified that their objection was not against the SIR process itself, but against the excessive workload, repetitive demands, and procedural inconsistencies. They stressed that despite collecting and uploading all required documents according to government directives, additional documents and repeated corrections were being demanded, causing repeated inconvenience to citizens and escalating tensions.

Officials stated that the protest has placed undue pressure on BLOs, affecting their personal and professional lives. Many officers reported heightened stress and apprehension about opening the Election Commission app, and claimed that continuous uncertainty prevented them from performing their duties effectively.

In response to the unrest, local police and the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Sheikh Shamsuddin arrived at the scene to monitor the situation and coordinate further action. Party leaders and activists joined the sit-in, demanding an immediate halt to the process and calling for clarification on procedural guidelines. Though hearings were temporarily suspended to calm the situation, the protest underscored deep-rooted concerns among election officials and citizens alike regarding the SIR exercise in Farakka.