This is the first such death in the state since the first stage of the SIR began here on November 4
Kolkata: Unable to bear the constant pressure to distribute a large number of enumeration forms to the voters for the special intensive revision (SIR), a female Booth Level Officer (BLO) died after suffering brain stroke on duty in Burdwan East on Saturday evening.
This is the first such death in the state since the first stage of the SIR began here on November 4. A forum of the BLOs has demanded a compensation of ₹50 lakhs for the family of the deceased, Namita Hansda (50), from the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal.
An Anganwadi worker in profession, Hansda was assigned as the BLO of booth no 278 at Chak Balarampur in Memari. Her husband, Madhab Hansda, alleged that she was facing pressure for distributing high numbers of forms door to door.
He claimed, “She was asked daily from the BDO office to increase the number of form deliveries to the voters. A target was set for this, leaving her in mental stress. I asked her not to take so much stress. While doing the job on Saturday evening, she suffered a brain stroke and collapsed.”
The BLO was rushed to Kalna Sub Division Hospital where she died later. District Magistrate Ayesha Rani said, “We are aware of the incident. Those who are unwell are kept out of the BLO duty. We are looking into it.”
Swapan Mondal, general secretary of a forum for the BLOs and poll personnel, sought the compensation to Hansda’s kin in a letter to the CEO, West Bengal.
