Kolkata, Nov 20 – A female Booth Level Officer (BLO) in Hooghly district, West Bengal, was relieved of election duties after suffering a cerebral attack while engaged in Special Intensive Revision (SIR) work, her family confirmed on Thursday.
Tapati Biswas, 60, an Anganwadi worker and BLO for Ward 19 of Konnagar Municipality, collapsed while distributing SIR forms. She sustained a head injury and was immediately admitted to Konnagar Municipality Hospital, where doctors confirmed that the left side of her body is paralysed due to the stroke.
Her husband, Prabir Biswas, alleged that the excessive workload and constant pressure from higher authorities contributed to her condition. “She was exhausted from distributing forms, scanning QR codes, and uploading data online. She barely slept and kept receiving calls to submit forms on time,” he said, highlighting the intense stress BLOs face during the exercise.
Serampore Sub-Divisional Officer Shambhudeep Sarkar visited the hospital and assured the family of support, and police officials also met the patient. While Tapati Biswas’s condition is reportedly stable, her family says they are currently bearing the treatment expenses, as the state has not provided financial assistance.
This incident comes in the wake of the recent suicide of another female BLO in Jalpaiguri district, allegedly linked to pressure during the SIR exercise. The tragic events have prompted widespread concern over the workload and mental health challenges faced by BLOs during the intensive voter list revision drive.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has criticised the Election Commission, noting that 28 deaths have occurred since the revision exercise began. She has urged the Commission to halt what she described as an “unplanned” process to prevent further tragedies, calling for a more humane and manageable approach to the SIR exercise.
The latest incident underscores growing demands for stricter oversight, reduced workload, and adequate support for BLOs, who form the backbone of the election machinery in West Bengal.
