EC faces Bengal teachers' 'rebellion' as Bihar-like SIR move gathers storm
Several educators have sought exemption from electoral duties, citing workload and health concerns, and were backed by major state boards.
The Election Commission (EC) has met an unusual challenge in West Bengal amid growing speculation that a Bihar-like Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls may soon be launched there too ahead of next year’s assembly elections.
Teachers, mainly from government schools and madrasahs, who traditionally form the backbone of the roll revision exercise, are showing reluctance toward their duties as booth level officers (BLOs) citing workload and health concerns.
They are flooding teachers’ associations with requests to collectively urge the commission to exempt educators from BLO responsibilities. The educators' bodies have acknowledged the situation and said there are several underlying reasons for the members’ refusal to take part in the extensive roll revision exercise. The SIR exercise is certainly one of them.
“BLO responsibilities have significantly increased this time as the commission’s guidelines mandate door-to-door visits to update the voter roll. Moreover, an SIR-like exercise, if initiated, could place BLOs at the centre of political tussles,” Paramita Das, district secretary of Usthi United Primary Teachers' Welfare Association's (UUPTWA) North 24 Parganas unit, told The Federal.
Also read: Bihar electoral roll revision: Elitist and arbitrary, SIR!
During the revision exercise, the teachers are expected to visit each household multiple times during school hours, serve notices, and collect documents while carrying out their teaching responsibilities, she said, pointing out “this is in addition to attending training sessions and submitting documents at the Block Development Office (BDO), often during school days”.
The added workload, she argued, will inevitably affect students and disrupt academic activities, including evaluation of examination papers.
Multiple teachers enlisted as BLOs also confirmed to this publication that they have ‘pleaded for relief’ from their duties by submitting requests to their respective district magistrates (DMs), who also serve as district election officers (DEOs).
“…I regret to inform you that due to my various personal and social responsibilities, I am unable to perform such complex duty,” read a letter that Mohammad Kaisar Rashid wrote to the Murshidabad DEO, requesting exemption from the BLO duty.
The copy of a letter written by Mohammad Kaisar Rashid, a teacher from Berhampore in Murshidabad district of West Bengal, to the district magistrate seeking exemption from the duty of the booth level officer. (File photo)
Another teacher from Cooch Behar in northern Bengal, who did not wish to be named, said he applied for relief on medical grounds.
Teachers feeling intimidated?
Teachers also fear possible coercion and intimidation, as the roll revision exercise has already become a politically volatile issue, said Khurshid Alam, Cooch Behar district secretary of Bengal Madrasah Education Forum.
“On the other hand, they would risk suspension and other disciplinary actions from the election commission in case of any discrepancy arising out of even unintentional human error,” he said, citing suspension of several BLOs in the neighbouring state of Bihar.
Also read: Bihar SIR: EC defends voter deletions amid SC scrutiny; what next?
Salaries of around 60 BLOs were halted in the state’s Muzaffarpur district due to anomalies in voters’ verification process, according to media reports. A few others faced suspension on charges of dereliction of duties.
For all these risks and hard work, a BLO gets a one-time honorarium of just Rs 6,000. In the past, teachers' associations demanded that remuneration for BLO duties be treated as overtime pay, calculated in proportion to their hourly salaries, Das said.
Education boards urge officials
Facing resistance from teachers, two major education boards of Bengal -- the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education and the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education--- have also requested DMs and school inspectors to exempt teachers from BLO duties.
They argued that the number of teachers in many schools is already low and engaging them in non-academic work would harm the students’ learning.
Also read: Bihar SIR: Public hearing exposes citizens’ hardships; panel criticises EC
Das said UUPTWA would submit a deputation to the state’s primary education board either on July 29 or 30, urging it to take up the cudgels on behalf of the teachers just as the secondary board and the higher secondary council did.
Warning for disciplinary action
Such support has become crucial, as DEOs have warned that participation in the voter roll revision exercise is mandatory for designated teachers, and non-compliance could result in disciplinary action for violating statutory service obligations.
“The notification has been issued in accordance with the State Election Commission's directives. No punitive action has been taken so far. However, if BLOs seek exemption without valid reasons, a show-cause notice will be issued. If their response is unsatisfactory, action will be taken,” Murshidabad DEO Rajarshi Mitra told the media.
The looming threat of disciplinary measures is further uniting teachers’ associations across West Bengal. According to Krishnanshu Mishra, general secretary of the West Bengal Headmasters' Association, a joint convention of teachers’ associations will be held next week to address what they describe as the commission’s “unilateral directives”.
With both the secondary education board and the higher secondary education council throwing their weight behind the teachers, the roll revision exercise is shaping up to be a potential flashpoint between the EC and Bengal’s education department.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s recent assertion that she would not permit any SIR-like exercise in the state has further deepened the battle lines. Her Trinamool Congress will seek a fresh mandate in the 2026 election while the Bharatiya Janata Party, the principal Opposition party, is looking to end her rule spanning a decade and half.
The teachers' growing reluctance, however, has cast a shadow over the voter roll revision process ahead of the key electoral battle.
West Bengal, one of the most populated ones in the country, last saw an intensive review of electoral rolls in 2002. Around 28 lakh names were omitted during that exercise.
