Hyderabad BLOs seek extension as SIR deadline nears

With the July 24 deadline for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) approaching, Booth Level Officers in Hyderabad have sought an extension citing difficulties in completing voter enumeration.

Hyderabad: With the deadline of July 24 approaching fast and many houses still to be covered, many Booth Level Officers (BLOs) deputed for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral process seek an extension for the exercise at least by a month.

On the other hand, the GHMC said that as of July 7, around 81.09 per cent of the exercise to distribute enumeration forms across all 15 assembly constituencies in Hyderabad district had been completed.

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However, the BLOs lamented their inability to process the assigned targets due to a host of reasons including voters shifting to another area. In some instances, BLOs said the neighbours were asking the enumeration forms to be handed over even when voters were not found at the premises.

In some instances, BLO said the verification of the voters’ list at doorsteps was delayed due to poor network connectivity, with the process taking at least 10 minutes. “As a result, we are visiting voters’ houses several times either to verify the voters’ list or upload the completed forms.”

A few BLOs deputed from different government departments said that after completion of SIR, they would return to their offices and attend to pending office work to avoid accumulation.

A BLO has been distributing the enumeration forms with assistance from his spouse. “I am suffering from knee pain and find it difficult to visit door-to-door. I am taking my wife’s assistance,” he said.