BENGALURU: Confusion has only intensified as the house-to-house visit by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) completed five days with both citizens and BLOs being flummoxed.
The common problem citizens cited is that the forms are in Kannada and they are unable to decipher it. People said they are unaware of what to fill in the columns where details from the previous special summary revision of the electoral roll conducted in 2002 are sought. The last SIR was done in 2002 and Assembly and parliamentary elections were conducted in 2004.
What is worrying is that BLOs and Booth Level Agents (BLAs) have not been able to assist citizens as they too lack clarity. “I asked the BLO what needed to be filled. He told me to leave the column blank as he could not clarify. Submitting incomplete forms makes the entire exercise futile,” said Sumalatha, a resident of Tavarekere. A BLO said, “Citizens should refer to online videos posted by the Election Commission to understand how to fill forms. Collect the forms and submit them later as there is a month’s time.”
Another BLO said, “We too are helpless. The supervising Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) officials are not picking up phones to clarify people’s doubts.”
When Bhuvanna, a resident of RR Nagar, questioned the BLOs and BLAs what would happen if columns are left blank, they told him, “Fill details as per the last last Assembly elections, as BLOs have that data. I do not want to make mistakes in the form. There is no additional copy available in case of mistakes. If there are too many cancellations, there are chances forms might get rejected.”’
SIR: Residents, BLOs in quandary
Shabana, a resident of Yeshwanthpur, was scared that she would lose out on the state’s guarantee scheme benefits if details are not accurate. “My family and the entire neighbourhood have been gathering details and documents to submit with the forms. We do not want any trouble, we do not want our names to be deleted,” she said.
Abhilash Kumar GK, BLO, Shivajinagar, said everyone’s problems are different and all efforts are being made to ensure there are no errors in the forms. The help of BLAs and volunteers is also being taken.
In many areas, college students, senior citizens and daily contract workers are deployed as assistant BLAs, instead of those registered. Some carry Congress and BJP identity tags, while others do not. Some are also seen threatening citizens seeking clarifications. Forms are being distributed in community halls, common areas of apartment complexes, weddings, religious institutions and common public spaces.
“My son and daughter-in-law got their SIR forms, but my husband and I did not. We asked the BLO who came, he said somebody else will come. But he did not know who the other BLO was. He said that since our polling booths changed during last Assembly collections, he is not carrying our forms,” said a worried Bindu J, a resident of OMBR Layout. Sumathi, a resident of Banaswadi, said the residential complex where they
are staying did not exist in 2002. They have shifted multiple times and they do not know where to collect the SIR forms, she said.
People also want to know what to do if there are spelling mistakes in the old voter ID cards and newly corrected ones. They are worried about spelling mistakes made by BLOs while filing forms on their behalf in Kannada.
BLOs too are equally worried, while some were even teary-eyed. “I do not know what to do. I do not want to do this. Only a brief and hurried training was given before being deployed us on SIR duty. We sat in a large hall and a man spoke from a distance. He was not clearly audible. I myself am not clear how to fill my own form. How can I help others,” asked a BLO from Banaswadi.
Another BLO from Malleswaram was, however, in a hurry to distribute the forms and rush out. When questioned, she said, “I am on SIR duty from 8 am to 12.30 pm. I am a government school teacher and I have to get back before lunch period ends to sign attendance, otherwise I will lose my day’s salary.”
GBA Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao said that forms are printed by election officials in the state’s language. On leaving the columns blank and names not found in 2002 SIR, he admitted that there are problems and said if people have doubts in filling the forms, they should visit the voter facilitation centres. There is no harm if any column is left blank, he clarified.
An official from the Election Commission said that in 2002, Epic cards were introduced on a pilot basis and many would not have those details. But it does not matter. BLOs will enter data, assist in filling forms and digitise them in English to avoid errors. During the mapping exercise, BLOs acquired details of electors as per 2002 rolls and they will update the information when they collect the forms. On change of address, the official explained that forms of electors will be available in locations where the last vote was cast. In such cases, it is best for citizens to fill forms online with e-signatures. To address spelling changes, the software has been upgraded to accept minor spelling errors, prefix and suffixing of initials, the official said.
WORKING ON WEEKENDS
Election officials said directions are to conduct the exercise for 30 days, including government holidays and Sundays. In some cases, BLOs are working from 6am till 10pm to complete the targets.