The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being undertaken in nine states and three union territories has created distress and chaos, and put immense pressure on ground level officials. The short deadlines and the workload have driven some booth level officers (BLOs) to suicide. Many others are facing physical and mental breakdown. These instances have been reported from everywhere. The BLOs are being pushed to the brink by their seniors, and their work is under close scrutiny by political parties and others. After the matter was raised in the Supreme Court, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has extended the SIR schedule by a week, but that may not be enough to ease the tensions, and make it a normal exercise that does not punish the officials, and does justice to the pe

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