Siliguri, 15th November: A new directive requiring Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to upload SIR enumeration forms online triggered strong protests during a training camp in Siliguri on Saturday. The BLOs expressed anger over the order and staged a demonstration inside and outside the venue, even lying on the ground to mark their protest.
The training session, organised for BLOs at Dinabandhu Mancha, saw resistance from the very beginning as participants opposed the shift to a fully online system. Soon after, the officers walked out of the camp and intensified their protest.
The BLOs stated that they already have to visit households to distribute and collect forms, making it nearly impossible to upload every form online within the limited timeframe.
They further added that along with their duties in schools and offices, the additional workload of SIR tasks has been causing significant mental stress.