Booth-level officers (BLOs) in Kolkata are grappling with a surge of anxious inquiries from voters, following the publication of the draft Summary Revision of Electoral Rolls (SIR) list. Since the list went live on Tuesday, BLOs across the city have been inundated with phone calls and in-person visits from residents pointing out a series of discrepancies.
A Wave of Voter Anxiety Hits BLOs
The concerns range from simple spelling mistakes and incorrect ages to more serious issues like missing surnames and altered serial numbers. Ranjan Mridha, a BLO in Tollygunge, stated that the calls began almost immediately after the list was uploaded online. "People are complaining about misspelt names and changed serial numbers," he said. Mridha, who had 788 registered electors in his area, explained that he had rectified the details provided by voters, but those corrections were not reflected in the draft. "I have no explanation for the errors," he added, noting that 181 names were deleted under categories like absent, shifted, or deceased.
The Plight of Unmapped Voters
Among the most worried are the "unmapped voters"—those not linked to any previous SIR roll from any state or union territory, including West Bengal's own 2002 rolls. These individuals will receive notices from the Election Commission (EC) for hearings before their names can be included in the final list. A BLO from Beleghata revealed that around 50 voters in his jurisdiction were unmapped. "These unmapped voters have been calling me up repeatedly, demanding to know about a tentative date for EC hearing. They fear the date may clash with their holiday plans," he said, confirming he had not yet received any schedule from the EC.
Similar scenes unfolded in Lake Gardens, where a BLO reported a constant stream of complaints regarding errors in age, spelling, and surnames. "In several cases, the surname, 'Sengupta', has been recorded as 'Sen'. I distinctly remember entering the correct surnames during enumeration. I have no idea how this change crept in," the officer stated.
BLOs Work to Reassure the Electorate
Throughout the day, BLOs have been working tirelessly to allay fears. Soma Ray Mandal, a BLO in the Maniktala assembly constituency, said that while the majority of entries in her part were correct, voter anxiety remained high. Out of 530 electors, 462 names appeared on the draft roll. "Another 33 will be called for a hearing, which I already informed them about while collecting their forms and asked them not to panic," she explained, adding that most calls were for status checks with no major mistakes found so far.
In areas like Rabindra Sarani under Shyampukur constituency, BLOs often serve as a natural point of contact due to their local presence. BLO Chhanda Majhi mentioned, "Most people here know me. They are either calling me up or visiting my house to check if their names are on the rolls." She has been correcting logical discrepancies directly on the portal.
The situation was echoed in central Kolkata's Chowringhee assembly constituency, where a BLO noted a steady flow of office visitors. "Most people are coming to check their names. A few found their names missing, I explained to them the reasons for deletion and advised them to submit fresh forms for new enrolment," the BLO said. The overarching message from the ground is one of proactive engagement by BLOs to manage voter concerns ahead of the final electoral roll publication.
