A Booth Level Officer (BLO) died in Malda district on Saturday night, with family members alleging excessive work pressure linked to the ongoing voter list revision process.
The deceased, Utpal Thokdar (55), was posted at Booth No. 93 in Nadapara under Chandrapara gram panchayat in Chanchal-2 block. He also worked as a para-teacher at a higher secondary school. According to family sources, he suffered a heart attack and died around 10:30 PM.
Family alleges stress over voter list work
Family members claimed Thokdar was under severe mental stress due to responsibilities related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Over 100 names in his booth were reportedly under adjudication, adding to the pressure.
They said he had been working late nights handling form submissions, document uploads, and voter queries. Locals frequently approached him for updates, as he was their primary point of contact.
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His wife said, “He was involved in SIR work. He had to work, staying up nights. He couldn’t handle so much pressure. That’s what caused this damage. How will I live alone with my daughters?”
Neighbours also said people whose names were under scrutiny repeatedly contacted him, increasing his workload and stress levels.
Voter list update amid heightened vigilance
The incident comes ahead of the expected publication of the supplementary voter list, likely on March 23. According to official sources, the updated list will be displayed at polling booths.
Authorities have issued instructions to district administrations to manage crowds, maintain surveillance in sensitive areas, and ensure law and order during the process.
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Sources indicated that the status of nearly 60 lakh voters remains uncertain, adding to public anxiety. Officials noted that BLOs have been handling a significant share of responsibilities related to the revision process.
The death has raised concerns over workload distribution and stress faced by ground-level election staff during large-scale electoral exercises.
