Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 18 (IANS) The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Kerala on Tuesday announced significant progress in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Electoral Rolls, reporting that more than 96 per cent of Enumeration Forms have been distributed across the state.

The achievement is attributed to the dedicated efforts of Booth Level Officers (BLOs), supported by district administrations and election machinery.

To facilitate form collection and data entry, district administrations have put in place special camps, logistical support systems and dedicated centres equipped with technical infrastructure to assist BLOs in digitising forms in a time-bound manner.

Recognised political parties have also been encouraged to nominate Booth Level Agents (BLAs) and set up help desks to support collection, thereby reducing the workload of BLOs.

However, despite the CEO’s assertion of widespread progress, reports from several regions indicate that the SIR forms have not yet reached many households, raising concerns over the inclusivity and uniformity of the process.

Questions are also being raised about whether the exercise can be completed effectively within the scheduled timelines.

The larger issue stems from the timing of the SIR, which coincides with the preparations for the two-phase local body elections scheduled for December 9 and 11.

The State government, the CPI(M), Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) — the second-largest party in the UDF alliance — have all approached the Supreme Court seeking a halt to the ongoing SIR, arguing that simultaneous conduct of both exercises could lead to administrative confusion, inaccuracies and voter exclusion.

Amid these concerns, the CEO’s office has reiterated its acknowledgment of the exemplary dedication of BLOs and field staff, calling for continued cooperation from voters, political parties and the media.

It emphasised that the SIR is progressing as a collective effort, and officials are ensuring that no BLO or election worker faces hardship in the process.

However, on Tuesday a state government official said things are not what is being portrayed.

“We are facing innumerable pressures and it’s a tough task even when we are being hounded by higher ups,” said a lady official who is finding the SIR enumeration task very difficult.

Added to it came the suicide of a BLO at Kannur on Sunday, leading to a statewide protest by BLO’s on Monday.

–IANS

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