Chief Electoral Officer Issues Strict Orders
Preparations for the census have commenced in Punjab. Taking a significant decision regarding the census, the Chief Electoral Officer has stated that BLOs (Booth Level Officers) will not perform census duties. In fact, the process of assigning responsibilities to employees and officials for the census has already begun across the state. The administration had initially appointed BLOs for census duties as well; however, when the matter was brought to the attention of the Chief Electoral Officer, he clarified that BLOs would not be required to perform census-related tasks.
The CEO of Punjab has issued directives to the Deputy Commissioners of all districts to immediately relieve any BLOs who may have been appointed for census duties. The CEO’s rationale is that the Special Summary Revision (SSR) of electoral rolls is imminent in Punjab, and BLOs are currently occupied with its preparations. BLOs cannot effectively handle two distinct responsibilities simultaneously. Following the CEO’s instructions, district officials have directed the concerned authorities not to deploy BLOs for census duties. It has further been stipulated that if any BLO is found to have been appointed for census work, they must be relieved of that duty and replaced by another official.
Mapping operations are currently underway to rectify any errors in the voter lists prior to the commencement of the SSR. While 80 percent of the mapping work in Punjab has already been completed, the target is to achieve 100 percent completion before the SSR process begins. In several districts, the progress of mapping work remains below 70 percent. According to officials from the Election Department, approximately 60 to 65 percent of the mapping has been completed in Ludhiana. Consequently, BLOs across the entire state are currently engaged in the mapping process, making it impossible for them to simultaneously fulfill census-related duties.
