The office of West Bengal's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has formally approached the Election Commission of India, seeking a temporary reprieve for a specific group of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) during the upcoming Madhyamik (Secondary) examinations. The request aims to prevent any disruption for both students and teachers involved in the crucial board exams.
Balancing Electoral Duties and Academic Responsibilities
The heart of the matter lies in a scheduling conflict. The Madhyamik examinations are scheduled from February 2 to February 12, 2026. Concurrently, the ongoing Summary Revision of the Electoral Roll (SIR) will be in its final phase, with the final voter list slated for publication on February 14, 2026. Many secondary and higher secondary school teachers in the state are serving as BLOs for this mammoth electoral exercise.
An official from the Bengal CEO's office explained the rationale behind the request. "The Bengal CEO sent a written request to the Chief Election Commissioner to ensure that neither the teachers nor students face any problem during Madhyamik," the official stated. The move underscores the administration's intent to prioritize the academic future of lakhs of students while managing critical democratic processes.
The Scale of SIR and BLO Responsibilities
The SIR exercise in West Bengal is a vast undertaking that commenced on November 4. The Election Commission has appointed a total of 80,681 BLOs across the state. Their duties have been multifaceted, involving the distribution and collection of voter enumeration forms, uploading data, and now attending to hearings for voters at their respective polling booths.
This hearing process is set to continue until February 7, 2026. Furthermore, BLOs are mandated to be available at designated booth-level camps to facilitate various voter services, including:
- Submission of forms for new voter inclusion.
- Processing claims and objections to the electoral roll.
- Handling requests for shifting residence or correcting entries.
As per the schedule, until January 15, 2026—the last date for receiving claims and objections—BLOs must be present at their polling stations for two hours on any three weekdays and for at least four hours on holidays.
Contingency Plans and Minimal Disruption
Officials have clarified that the core BLO duties at booth-level camps are designed not to clash with the examination dates. They also anticipate that a significant portion of the hearings will be completed before the exams begin. "We also feel that a significant number of hearings will not be left out after February 1," noted another official.
To address any potential gaps, the administration has a backup plan. "If the situation demands, we will appoint BLOs from the reserves, replacing the secondary and higher secondary school teachers after January 31," the official added. It is important to note that out of the massive force of 80,681 BLOs, only a small percentage are secondary and higher secondary school teachers, indicating that the overall SIR process is expected to remain largely unaffected.
This proactive step by the West Bengal CEO's office highlights the careful planning required to harmonize the state's educational commitments with its electoral responsibilities, ensuring both students appearing for a pivotal exam and voters seeking enrollment are served efficiently.
