New Delhi [India], November 30 : Election Commission of India (ECI) alleged that the increased honorarium for the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and an additional Rs 6,000 for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists approved by the poll body have not yet been paid by the TMC government in West Bengal.
In a statement, ECI said, "We told the AITC delegation (during the meeting on November 28) that it is very strange that the increased honorarium of Rs 12,000 per year for BLOs and an additional Rs 6,000 to BLOs for SIRs approved by the ECI has not yet been paid by the state government. This should be done without any further delay."
Earlier in August, the Election Commission had doubled the remuneration of BLOs from Rs 6000 to Rs 12000 and also enhanced the remuneration of BLO Supervisors involved in the preparation and revision of electoral rolls from Rs 12000 to Rs 18000.
The poll body also decided to introduce honorarium for Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs).
"Pure electoral rolls are the bedrock of democracy. The electoral roll machinery, consisting of Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs), BLO Supervisors and Booth Level Officers (BLOs), does a lot of hard work and plays a pivotal role in the preparation of impartial and transparent electoral rolls," a press release said.
"The Commission has therefore decided to double the annual remuneration for BLOs & also enhanced the remuneration of BLO Supervisors involved in the preparation and revision of electoral rolls," it added.
On Friday, a delegation of 10 Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs held a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, objecting to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal and other states across the country.
During the meeting, the TMC delegation told CEC Kumar that they have "blood on their hands," and submitted a list of 40 people who are dead "because of the SIR process", according to MP Derek O'Brien.
"10 MPs from the All India Trinamool Congress met with the Chief Election Commissioner Kumar and his team. We first handed over to him a list of almost 40 dead because of the SIR process. We started the meeting by telling him that Mr Kumar and the Election Commission of India have blood on their hands," TMC MP Derek O'Brien said during a press conference after meeting ECI.