Big boost for BLOs: ECI to give ₹6,000 extra for electoral roll revision work

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced a one-time payment of ₹6,000 each for Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and BLO Supervisors engaged in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The additional remuneration will be provided over and above their regular annual honorarium, in a move aimed at recognizing their role in the large-scale voter verification exercise.

The announcement comes as the Election Commission advances the third phase of the Special Intensive Revision programme, a nationwide effort to update and purify electoral rolls ahead of future elections.

At present, enumeration and verification activities are underway in Odisha, Mizoram, Sikkim and Manipur, where BLOs are carrying out door-to-door verification and data collection.

According to the Commission, the Special Intensive Revision is being conducted under the powers vested in it through Article 324 of the Constitution and the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.

Similar voter roll revision exercises have also been initiated in several other states and Union Territories as part of the Commission's broader effort to maintain accurate and up-to-date electoral records.

The ECI said the primary objective of the exercise is to ensure that only eligible citizens are included in the electoral rolls while removing duplicate, shifted, deceased or otherwise ineligible entries.

The Commission has repeatedly emphasized that maintaining clean and error-free voter lists is essential for conducting free and fair elections.

Reiterating voter eligibility norms, the Election Commission said every Indian citizen who is 18 years of age or older on the qualifying date and is not disqualified under any law has the right to be enrolled as a voter.

Officials said the ongoing revision process is intended to facilitate the inclusion of all eligible citizens while ensuring the integrity of electoral databases.

The Commission has also clarified that eligible voters who submit their Enumeration Forms to the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) by June 28, 2026, will have their names included in the draft electoral roll.

Those who miss the deadline will still have an opportunity to apply for inclusion later by submitting Form 6 during the claims and objections period.

With lakhs of BLOs and supervisors playing a key role in the revision exercise, the one-time ₹6,000 payment is expected to provide a significant boost to the workforce involved in updating India's electoral rolls.