BLO Teacher Punishment: Nearly 10,000 Teachers Face Disciplinary Action for Refusal of BLO Duties!

BLO Teacher Punishment: A new controversy is brewing in the state. School teachers were instructed to join as Booth Level Officers (BLOs) for the voter list revision ahead of the upcoming 2026 assembly elections. However, nearly 10,000 teachers have defied this order and are now being served show-cause notices. This stern action from the Election Commission has caused a stir across the state.

Why This Threat of Punishment?

According to sources from the Election Commission, many teachers did not join their duties as BLOs despite receiving appointment letters. As a result, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer has now written to the Principal Secretary of the State Education Department, recommending departmental inquiry and punitive action against them. The Commission has clearly stated that the electoral process is a crucial national duty and no negligence will be tolerated. This is the first time show-cause notices have been issued to teachers for not joining this duty.

The Role of BLOs and the Upcoming Voter List Revision (SIR 2025)

The reason behind the Election Commission’s urgency is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2025. This SIR process was recently completed successfully in Bihar. Now, for the first time in about 23 years, West Bengal is set to undergo such a detailed revision of its voter list, with the primary goal of creating a transparent and error-free electoral roll.

BLOs are the key players in this massive undertaking. Their main responsibilities include:

• Conducting door-to-door verification of information.
• Enrolling new and eligible voters.
• Removing the names of deceased or relocated voters from the list.
• Correcting errors in voter information.

The role of BLOs is immense in preparing an accurate voter list before the 2026 assembly elections.

Teachers’ Apprehensions and the Controversy

There are several apprehensions behind the teachers’ refusal to comply with the order. Firstly, it has been alleged that the state’s ruling party is opposing the SIR process. This has led to fears among teachers assigned as BLOs that they might face political pressure when trying to remove bogus or non-existent voters from the list.

Secondly, the example of Bihar has heightened the teachers’ fears. There, a few teachers faced severe punishment for minor mistakes made during the SIR process. Consequently, teachers in West Bengal are worried that they could face a similar fate for any unintentional errors in enrollment or deletion of names.

Conversely, there is a perception among some teachers that there is no clear provision for punishment if they refuse the BLO duty. It now remains to be seen what kind of punitive measures the Election Commission will take in this situation. Overall, the state’s teaching community is caught in an unprecedented dilemma involving political pressure, fear of punishment, and the risk of legal complications.