Lucknow: Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Tuesday described Booth Level Officers (BLOs) as the “foundational pillar” of India’s democracy, stressing their role in preparing electoral rolls and serving as the Election Commission of India’s first point of contact with citizens.
Kumar was addressing more than 500 BLOs and 30 BLO Supervisors from different parts of Uttar Pradesh during an interaction in Lucknow. He said the preparation of electoral rolls and the conduct of elections in the country are carried out strictly in accordance with the Constitution, the law and instructions issued by the Election Commission of India.
The Chief Election Commissioner said BLOs play a central role in maintaining trust and transparency in the electoral process. He also referred to the work carried out by BLOs in Uttar Pradesh in preparing and updating the state’s electoral rolls.
Over 13.39 crore electors on final Uttar Pradesh roll
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh was completed in April this year. More than 13.39 crore electors were included in the final electoral roll published after the exercise.
The revision was carried out by around 1.77 lakh Booth Level Officers. Their work was concurrently audited by more than 5.82 lakh Booth Level Agents appointed by recognised political parties.
The meeting also included a question-and-answer session, allowing BLOs to directly raise queries and clarify doubts with the Chief Election Commissioner.