SIR: Daily wages of BLOs fall below ₹20

Edappal: The remuneration of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) who took part in the comprehensive voter list revision has been drastically reduced. The work began with a promise of ₹6,000, but when it concluded, the amount was cut down to ₹2,000. BLOs have come out in strong protest against this. For four months of work, the daily wage comes to less than ₹20.

The voter list revision in Kerala was carried out from November 4, 2025 to February 21, 2026. BLOs completed all the tasks assigned by the Election Commission efficiently, working day and night and overcoming numerous challenges.

Most of them took up this responsibility alongside their regular jobs, without even taking holidays. Many experienced mental stress. Several spent thousands of rupees from their own pockets for fieldwork, including fuel expenses for two-wheelers, which exceeded the amount now being reimbursed.

There have even been instances where BLOs died by suicide due to work pressure. BLOs say that despite doing such demanding work, being denied fair remuneration is not only humiliating but also deeply demoralising.