Bashir Assad
Srinagar, July20; In gross violation of the guidelines of the Election Commission of India, the Electoral Registration Officer (Assistant Commissioner Revenue,) Srinagar, has overnight replaced 19 Booth Level officials in Khanyar assembly segment reportedly at the behest of the ruling National Conference.
In a bizarre move, the district administration Srinagar associated with the electioneering has over night appointed 19 BLOs from Khanyar assembly segment by disengaging equal number of BLOs without any reason. Sources said that ERO Srinagar has appointed 19 BLOs without any substantive reason and has disengaged the already appointed 19 BLOs without citing any reason.
Pertinently Under Section 13B (2) of Representation of People Act, 1950, BLOs are appointed from amongst the officers of the Govt. /Semi Govt. /Local Bodies. Generally, one BLO is responsible for one part of the electoral roll. The DEOs in consultation with the EROs of the Assembly Constituency (AC).
BLOs can be appointed from Teachers, Anganwadi workers, Patwari/Amin/Lekhpal, Panchayat Secretary, Village Level Workers, Electricity Bill Readers, Postman, Auxiliary Nurses & Mid-wives, Health workers, Mid-day meal workers, Contract teachers, Corporation Tax Collectors, andClerical Staff in Urban area (UDC/LDC etc.)
Sources said that all the 19 BLOs appointed by the ERO have been engaged by a senior NC office bearer and minister in Omar Abdullah government through backdoor in the recent past and all of them are workers of his party.
Sources further averred that bruised by the defeat of his party in the Lok Sabha elections, the minister is desperately trying to retain his seat by all overt and covert means. They said the minister has engaged hundred of unemployed as casual and need-based workers after the parliament elections to woo the voters of his constituency.
Sources said the motive behind the replacement of BLOs is to make false entries in the electoral rolls and ensure bogus voting in favour of ruling party in upcoming assembly elections.
ECI guidelines provide that BLO is a local Government/Semi-Government official, familiar with the local electors and generally a voter in the same polling area who assists in updating the roll using his local
knowledge. In fact, BLO is a representative of Election Commission of India at the grass-root level who plays a pivotal role in the process of roll revision and collecting actual field information with regard
to the roll corresponding to the polling area assigned to him. Though BLO is not a full time electoral official, but the responsibility of BLO adds an additional dimension to his profile as he is rendering a responsible civic duty.
The guidelines further provide that BLOs would continue to discharge the responsibilities assigned to them by their parent offices and would remain generally under the control of their administrative department, but they would not be transferred without prior permission of the DEO. This will be the responsibility of the BLO that he does not proceed on leave in any circumstance without making over his election related charge. Even in case of his transfer, he should ensure to hand over all election related papers, records and registers to his successor within the prescribed time. If his successor is not appointed, the BLO would proceed on transfer only after handing over all election related papers, records and registers to his ERO or to an AERO authorized by the ERO. As BLO would be involved in the revision of the roll, they would be considered on deputation to the Election Commission for this purpose and would be subject to the disciplinary control of the Election Commission. For any breach of duty, BLOs shall be liable to punishment under Section 32 of Representation of People Act, 1950.
When contacted, ERO Srinagar, Abdul Hamid confirmed to Early Times that 19 BLOs were appointed in Khanyar constituency but he failed to justify his action. Hamid, however, denied that there was any political pressure in the appointment of the BLOs. |
