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NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed the West Bengal government to immediately release the enhanced honorarium for Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and warned that strict action will be taken against anyone attempting to intimidate election staff.”The state government of WB should immediately release the enhanced honorarium as approved by ECI to each BLO. The TMC delegation was informed that polling stations will be set up in high-rise buildings, gated communities and slums to facilitate the voters,” the ECI said through a statement. The Commission also informed a TMC delegation that polling stations will be set up in high-rise buildings, gated communities, and slums to ensure voter access, stressing that intimidation of BLOs, EROs, AEROs, or observers will not be tolerated.The ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state has sparked a conflict between the TMC-led state government and the Centre.Accusing the BJP of “bulldozing” the SIR process, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has claimed that more than 50 lives have been lost “to panic, anxiety, exhaustion and fear engineered by a voter-cleansing operation designed for BJP’s electoral gain.”Meanwhile, the West Bengal CEO’s office on Monday issued instructions to district election authorities on managing cases of voters marked as “unmapped” in the BLO app, a result of data conversion errors linked to the 2002 electoral rolls, while reaffirming safeguards for elderly and vulnerable voters. The move was welcomed by Abhishek Banerjee, who noted that the party had previously raised the issue with poll authorities.According to a communication from the Additional Chief Electoral Officer to all district election officers and district magistrates, electors aged 85 and above, as well as those who are sick or have disabilities, may opt out of personal hearings through a request made by them or on their behalf. Even if hearing notices have already been issued, such voters can be contacted by phone and advised not to attend, with verification to be conducted at their residences. A ten-member TMC delegation, led by National General Secretary and Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee also met Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi on Monday.During the enumeration period of West Bengal’s SIR exercise, over 58.2 lakh names were reportedly deleted. The Election Commission of India had published the draft voter list for the state on December 16, with the claims and objections window open until January 15, 2026. The final electoral roll is scheduled for release on February 14, 2026.On December 29, a five-member TMC delegation submitted a memorandum to the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal, demanding that the list of voters under the “Logical Discrepancy” category be made public and that the methodology and legal basis for this category be disclosed.
