A Booth level Officer (BLO) checks voters’ list at a SIR help desk organised at the Nadama Thekkumbhagam village office at Palace School, Thripunithura, recently.
| Photo Credit: THULASI KAKKAT
The Election Commission of (EC) India has modified the criterion for the appointment of booth level agents (BLA) by political parties and has decided to allow parties to set up help desks for the collection of filled-up enumeration forms for easing the workload of booth level officers (BLOs) assigned to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The commission has also permitted the BLAs of recognised political parties to submit the applications — enumeration forms as well as Form 6 enrolment applications — in bulk.
The measures are meant to ease the workload of the BLOs appointed by the EC and ensure the smooth completion of the SIR. The decisions were conveyed to political parties by the Chief Electoral Officer (Kerala) Rathan U. Kelkar on Tuesday.
Help desks
Political parties can set up help desks to support voters by collecting filled enumeration forms, and by promoting the timely submission of forms, especially for new applicants. The help desks should be set up in coordination with the office of the District Election Officer (District Collector).
“This will greatly facilitate the work of the BLOs and the District Election Officer (DEO),” Mr. Kelkar said.
The BLAs of recognised political parties can submit applications (enumeration forms and Form 6 enrollment forms) in bulk, subject to the conditions that a BLA must not submit more than 50 forms per day to the BLO before the publication of the draft (on December 9) and that a BLA would not submit more than 10 forms per day after the publication of the draft.
As per the changed criterion for the appointment of the BLAs, if a BLA is not available from the same part of the electoral roll within the Assembly constituency, then they can be appointed from any registered elector of the same constituency.
The measures have come at a time when the BLOs (appointed by the commission for the distribution and collection of forms have been complaining of being put under tremendous pressure for meeting deadlines. Service organisations had blamed the death of BLO Aneesh George of Payyannur to mental stress created by the SIR work.
“To further ensure smooth and timely completion of the remaining stages, district administrations have taken comprehensive measures to facilitate the BLOs in collecting the filled forms. These include setting up special camps, extending local logistical support, and establishing centres equipped with technical and infrastructure facilities to assist the BLOs in the digitisation of forms in a time-bound manner,” Mr. Kelkar said.
Recognised political parties are also being encouraged to nominate additional BLAs.
Published – November 18, 2025 06:44 pm IST
