Booth-level officers go on strike

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, November 23

The union of booth level officers (representatives of election commission at the grassroot level) from Bathinda urban today observed a strike and said they will not resume work until their demands are met.

They alleged that the mobile app in which they have to upload the information of the voters is not functioning properly. Secondly, they are not relieved from their parent departments to work freely as booth level officer (BLO). At one time they have to work for two different government agencies.

Harminder Singh, president of BLO union, said, “In various districts the authorities have relieved the employees from their parent department who are working as BLOs. Moreover, Bathinda rural BLOs are also relieved from their parent department till the completion of the electoral process.”

He further stated that there are total 216 employees of various departments, who are working as BLOs from November 15, but till date they are not relieved from their parent department.

Kailash Chander, a BLO, said, “Ever since we have been deployed to work as BLO we have not been able to avail a single leave.”

When contacted, SDM Sakshi Sawhney, said, “Some of the BLOs are working according to their scheduled work and if they have any query we will conduct a meeting with them tomorrow and try to resolve their problems at earliest.”