Amid deaths of booth level officers (BLOs), some by suicide, allegedly over extreme work pressure in time-bound special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the Supreme Court on Thursday (December 4) directed the states and Union Territories to consider deputing additional employees to reduce their working hours.

The apex court was hearing an application by actor Vijay's party Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) seeking a direction to the poll panel not to take coercive actions under the Representation of the People Act against the BLOs for not performing the duty in a time-bound manner.

'30,000 can be deployed'

A Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi took note of the submissions of senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for the TVK, that som

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