Lucknow

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Tuesday described Booth Level Officers (BLOs) as the “foundation of Indian democracy”, saying their transparency and dedication at the grassroots level have earned them the trust of voters.

Addressing an interaction with BLOs in Lucknow, Kumar said the Election Commission of India conducts elections transparently and strictly in accordance with the Constitution, laws and directions of the poll panel.

“BLOs are the foundation of Indian democracy. They are known among voters at their respective booths for their transparency and dedication,” he said.

Kumar said the interaction was aimed at hearing suggestions from BLOs and addressing their queries, noting that they perform their duties with commitment at the grassroots level.

He also shared his old family and educational connections with Lucknow, saying he felt a bond with the BLOs as members of a common family.

India has around 97 crore registered voters, a figure larger than the combined electorate of several countries, Kumar said.

During Lok Sabha elections, around 1.80 crore people work on deputation, making the electoral exercise one of the world’s largest administrative operations. There are around 12 lakh BLOs across the country, he said.

The CEC said BLOs play a crucial role in maintaining electoral rolls by identifying and removing entries relating to absent, shifted, dead, duplicate and foreign voters while ensuring every eligible citizen aged 18 and above is included in the rolls.

He also highlighted the three-tier concurrent audit mechanism in the electoral process.

At the draft electoral roll stage, lists prepared by BLOs are audited by Booth Level Agents of political parties. On polling day, procedures ranging from mock polling to filling Part 1 of Form 17C and sealing Electronic Voting Machines are conducted in the presence of polling agents, he said.

Similarly, during counting, candidates’ counting agents remain present to oversee the process, Kumar said.

The CEC urged election officials in Uttar Pradesh to work towards increasing voter turnout in the upcoming elections and ensure that every eligible voter is reached. He particularly called for greater outreach among young voters and married women.

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Kumar said the efforts of BLOs were critical to keeping electoral rolls accurate and ensuring every eligible citizen gets an opportunity to exercise their franchise.