NEW DELHI: Amid attempts to link the deaths or alleged suicides by booth-level officers (BLOs), particularly in West Bengal, to "pressure" of work related to the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, election-related officials pointed out that Phase-2 of the exercise was progressing at a much more relaxed pace than Phase-1, which was exclusive to Bihar. An officer said while the distribution of enumeration forms was completed in four days in Bihar, it stretched for 10 days in Phase-2 across 12 states and UTs. While states like West Bengal have seen a steady procession of alleged SIR-related suicides and complaints of work pressure, reports of some deaths have also been received from Gujarat, Rajasthan and MP. On the other hand, work is on seamlessly in other states/UTs.

See Full Page