Ten days into the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the district administration is finally set to review manpower deployment and operational issues on Friday, even as thousands of voters across the city are still waiting for their Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to visit their homes with pre-filled Enumeration Forms. The timing of the meeting has raised questions over the planning of the month-long exercise. While the administration maintains that the revision will be completed within the stipulated deadline, field-level realities suggest the exercise is already struggling with manpower shortages and confusion over implementation. When the drive began on June 29, the Election Commission had announced that BLOs would distribute pre-filled forms by visiting every household. District Collector Kumar Ashirwad had also directed BLOs to visit each house at least three times to ensure that no eligible voter was left out.

 

However, in many parts, BLOs have instead started operating from temporary camps set up at fixed locations, asking voters to collect their forms instead of delivering them door-to-door. Initially, some camps reportedly functioned from the residences or offices of local corporators before being shifted to public places such as schools, polling stations, markets and community halls following objections from political workers. Many citizens, unaware of the change in distribution method, continue to wait for BLOs to visit their homes. Lack of official communication regarding the shift has led to confusion and anxiety among voters. A BLO, requesting anonymity, said door-to-door distribution was practically impossible within the available time.

 

“Each BLO is responsible for nearly 2,000 to 3,000 voters. Visiting every household during the monsoon is extremely difficult. Camp-based distribution is the only practical way to complete the work on time,” the official said. Officials familiar with the exercise said Friday's meeting, involving the District Collector, Municipal Commissioner and heads of other government departments, would focus on deploying additional staff and streamlining the SIR process. Measures to improve public awareness are also expected to be discussed. Ironically, the administration had faced similar manpower constraints during the pre-SIR voter mapping exercise. Despite those early warning signs, additional resources are being considered only after the form distribution has already entered its second week. Although officials remain confident that the exercise will be completed on schedule and that no voter will be left out, the delayed response has fuelled concerns that corrective measures are being introduced only after operational shortcomings had become evident on the ground.