Kerala BLO’s Death Sparks Outcry Over Workload

The death of Aneesh George, a Booth Level Officer (BLO) in Payyanur, Kannur,
on 16 November, has created a serious dispute.
His family and coworkers say he died because of the heavy workload from
the current special drive to update Kerala’s voter list
Political parties have gone to the Supreme Court asking to stop the SIR
until the local body elections in December. Aneesh’s death has now drawn
attention to a bigger issue, as BLOs across the state are speaking out
about long hours, impossible targets, pressure from higher officials,
and constant fear of being punished.
Meanwhile, the district administration says it has not received any
complaints about work pressure. But BLOs protesting after Aneesh’s
death continue to describe a very tiring and stressful work environment.