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Happening today in Bengal: BLOs to march against SIR in Kolkata
The BLO Adhikar Raksha Committee, consisting of school teachers, college teachers, and state government employees, has demanded that the SIR exercise cannot continue in the current manner.
This comes a day after a BLO in South 24 Parganas district was admitted to hospital on Sunday amidst allegations of extreme work-related stress during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
A platform of BLOs (Booth Level Officers) will hold a rally from College Square to the office of Chief Electoral Officer in Kolkata on Monday, claiming they are being subjected to “inhuman stress” and that the poll panel had not taken steps to ease their workload despite repeated pleas during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The BLO Adhikar Raksha Committee, consisting of school teachers, college teachers, and state government employees, has demanded that the SIR exercise cannot continue in the current manner.
This comes a day after a BLO in South 24 Parganas district was admitted to hospital on Sunday amidst allegations of extreme work-related stress during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. On Saturday, a BLO in Nadia district was found hanging at her home.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has already written to the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar for an immediate stop to the SIR process in West Bengal, citing “human cost” of the exercise.
TMC’s BLA meeting
Amid the SIR process in the state, all eyes will also be on the Trinamool Congress (TMC)’s virtual meeting on Monday. Scheduled at 4 pm, the meeting will be chaired by the party’s general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and is expected to draw nearly 10,000 booth-level agents (BLAs) from across the state.
The session, described as both a meeting and workshop, aims to conduct a performance audit of BLAs and outline strategies ahead of upcoming polls. According to party insiders, the leadership is concerned over inconsistent performance among booth agents, especially in the Matua belts of Ranaghat and Bongaon and parts of north Bengal.
Internal feedback from a consulting agency reportedly pointed to a lack of seriousness among some agents. Banerjee is expected to issue a strong disciplinary message while urging renewed focus and coordination at the grassroots.
Orange line gets punctuality boost with new system
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In a significant improvement for commuters, the Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) system will be introduced on Kolkata Metro’s Orange Line from November 24. The advanced signaling system will enhance efficiency, safety, and punctuality, marking another step in modernising the city’s metro operations.
With the rollout, the number of weekday services will increase to 62, 31 in each direction, up from 60 earlier. Services will continue from Monday to Friday, with none on weekends.
The first train will now depart at 7:40 am from Kavi Subhas to Beleghata, and the first return journey from Beleghata will start at 8:10 am. The last services of the day will leave at 8:20 pm from Kavi Subhas and 8:45 pm from Beleghata.
Clear skies, but a watch on the Bay
Weather-wise, Kolkata can expect a sunny day on Monday, with temperatures ranging between 18°C and 28°C.
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However, the city is also keeping an eye on the Bay of Bengal, where a low-pressure area may develop into a depression around November 24, according to the Met department.
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