The Supreme Court on Thursday directed states and union territories to consider deputing additional employees to support booth-level officers (BLOs) engaged in the Special Summary Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The bench, comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, was hearing a plea by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), led by actor Vijay, seeking protection for BLOs from coercive actions under the Representation of the People Act for delays in completing the exercise.

Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for TVK, highlighted extreme work pressure on BLOs, noting that some officials—many of whom are teachers or Anganwadi workers—have reportedly died by suicide due to stress. He urged the court to issue instructions preventing punitive actions while ensuring additional manpower is provided to meet deadlines. The plea emphasized the need for safeguards against undue pressure on these public servants.

The bench observed that while the SIR exercise is a lawful and statutory duty, employees deputed by the state governments to assist the Election Commission of India (ECI) must have manageable workloads. The court suggested that states could deploy extra personnel to reduce the burden on BLOs and that individuals with valid reasons for exemption, such as illness, should be allowed leave and replaced by other staff.

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Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioners, stressed that the two-month timeline for SIR, especially in states like Uttar Pradesh where elections are years away, is unnecessarily rushed. He highlighted concerns about the accuracy of uploaded voter data and the threat of disciplinary proceedings against officials who struggle to comply with stringent deadlines. The CJI suggested that additional manpower could alleviate such pressure.

Representing the ECI, senior advocate Maninder Singh stated that in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, the majority of the work—around 85-90%—had been completed. However, the court noted that states could still provide 30,000 to 40,000 additional staff to support BLOs. The bench also directed the ECI to file a compliance report detailing the average additional workload expected from the officers.

The Supreme Court emphasized that states are obligated to ensure sufficient workforce is available for the electoral exercise, warning that extreme stress on BLOs could have severe consequences. The bench’s directives aim to balance the legal requirement of timely SIR completion with the welfare of the employees performing these duties, signaling the judiciary’s concern for both process integrity and human safety.

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