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Outside Bengal CEO’s office, BLOs face off with BJP leaders

Adhikari claimed that the CEO’s office itself is not safe. The BJP leaders handed over a representation to the CEO, demanding that the SIR exercise be completed in a clean manner and with proper security.

2 min readUpdated: Dec 2, 2025 05:04 AM IST

Police managed the situation before the BJP delegation met election officials and the special observer.

BJP MLAs faced protests from BLOs outside the West Bengal CEO office over demands for compensation and an extension of the electoral roll revision. (Express Photo)

A group of Booth Level Officers (BLOs), protesting outside the office of the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) in Kolkata, on Monday, had an altercation with the BJP delegation, which had come to meet CEO Manoj Agarwal over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal.

As the BJP delegation, led by Leader of Opposition in Assembly Suvendu Adhikari, reached the CEO office, the BLOs, who are protesting against the SIR “workload pressure” and demanding extension of the voters survey process by two months, started shouting slogans.

The BJP leaders also shouted back, accusing the BLOs of carrying out the protest at the behest of the ruling TMC.

As the situation flared up, the BLOs tried to breach the barricades, leading to intervention by the police. The altercation continued for about 20 minutes before the BJP leaders were escorted by the police into the CEO’s office. Later, Adhikari described the demonstration by the BLOs as “scripted by the TMC” against the EC. “The protests reflect that the TMC wants this SIR to stop immediately, so that it can protect its vote bank comprising of infiltrators,” the BJP leader said.

Election officials declined to comment on the protests.

A BLO said, “The EC should extend the (SIR) deadline further. What will happen to the families of those who lost their lives? Compensation should be paid to them,” said a BLO.

Meanwhile, in its meeting with the CEO, the BJP delegation alleged that the TMC’s political consultancy agency, I-PAC, was “interfering in the data entry process” during the ongoing SIR exercise in the state.

Adhikari claimed that the CEO’s office itself is not safe. The BJP leaders handed over a representation to the CEO, demanding that the SIR exercise be completed in a clean manner and with proper security.

Atri Mitra

Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain. Experience Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express. Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news. Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions. Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal. Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla. Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent. Education Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting. Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More

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