TN CEO initiates disciplinary action against BLOs

Chennai, Aug 5 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Naresh Gupta has placed under suspension a Booth Level Officer (BLO) and initiated disciplinary action against another for dereliction of duty.

Mr Gupta, in a statement here, warned that any dereliction of duty or lack of involvement on the part of BLOs would lead to stringent action, including referring the matter to the Election Commission for appropriate action.

The CEO has appointed BLOs for special summary revision of electoral rolls following delimitation of Assembly constituencies for entertaining claims for inclusion in the rolls at the designated centres on special campaign days.

Mr Gupta said a BLO had given the forms for inclusion to a political party member instead of delivering during the house-to-house visit leading to his suspension.

In another case, a BLO had told a senior official, without knowing his identity, that there was no need to undertake house-to-house visit, following which disciplinary action was initiated against him.

Observing that 100 per cent house-to-house verification by the BLOs was crucial in the ongoing revision of electoral rolls, he said the BLOs should put a sticker on the house they visit and give a slip containing the names of those who figure in the e-roll, so that those names which did not figure in it could get 'Form Six' from the BLOs and apply for inclusion.

Keeping this in mind, the BLOs were given another seven to ten days time beyond August 18, the time fixed for field verification.

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