ECI pushes deadline

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday extended the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls by a week. Further the poll panel increased the remuneration for Block Level Officers (BLOs) and supervisors. Currently, SIR is underway in nine States and three Union Territories.

In a statement, the ECI said the enumeration form distribution will now continue till December 11 instead of December 4. Adding that, the draft electoral rolls will now be published on December 16 in place of December 9, while the final voters’ list will be out on February 14, 2026, in place of February 7.

The extension of dates by a week’s time has been done amid allegations by Opposition parties that the tight timelines were creating problems for people and ground-level poll officials. Alleging at least 40 deaths of BLOs during the SIR, largely by suicides due to “stress of meeting tight deadlines”, the Opposition parties have questioned the timing of the voters’ list revision. The ECI has denied these charges.

 The ECI also announced to double the remuneration for BLOs from Rs6,000 to Rs12,000 per election cycle. The decision also includes an increase in pay for BLO supervisors, whose remuneration has been raised from Rs12,000 to Rs18,000.