Families of booth-level officers (BLOs) and citizens who lost their lives during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal have expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for challenging the process before the Supreme Court of India.
As Banerjee appeared as a petitioner in the apex court on Wednesday, relatives of the deceased said her intervention had given them renewed hope for justice amid what they described as excessive pressure and procedural lapses during the SIR exercise.
‘Indebted for fighting for justice’
Suku Ekka, husband of Shanti Muni Ekka, a 48-year-old ICDS worker appointed as a BLO in Jalpaiguri district, said his wife struggled under the workload and language barriers. She was found dead at her home in November. “I will remain indebted to her forever if we get justice,” he said, adding that repeated requests to relieve his wife from BLO duties were denied.
Similarly, Mala Mondal, widow of Haradhan Mondal, a school headmaster and BLO who died in December, said the pressure of the hurried SIR process deeply affected her husband. His note cited inability to cope with work pressure.
Allegations of undue stress and confusion
Relatives of elderly voters who died after receiving SIR notices also blamed stress caused by discrepancies in voter lists. Sk Kamal Hossain said his 75-year-old father suffered a cardiac arrest after receiving a hearing notice despite having valid documents. Another family alleged that confusion over hearings and voter status led to extreme anxiety for an 82-year-old man who died hours before his scheduled appearance.
In another case, a para teacher appointed as a BLO left a note holding the Election Commission of India responsible, citing “inhuman work pressure” and lack of digital clarity.
Demand for accountability
The families said Banerjee’s arguments in court reflected their lived experiences and urged the judiciary to ensure accountability, transparency and humane implementation of electoral processes.