Kerala chief electoral officer (CEO) Rathan U. Kelkar on Wednesday warned of strict action against those who obstruct booth-level officers (BLOs) engaged in the special intensive revision of electoral rolls, ignoring pleas by parties to postpone the SIR and the recent suicide by a BLO over alleged workload.

Aneesh George, a BLO in Kannur, died by suicide on Sunday. Following the death, Kannur district Congress committee president Martin George had released an audio message in which a voice resembling Aneesh’s is heard saying that the CPM had pressured him over the SIR.

Aneesh also spoke of “trouble” and expressed apprehension about the transparency of the enumeration drive in his area.

On Wednesday, the Congress, CPM and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) jointly moved the Supreme Court against the SIR, which they fear would interfere with the local body elections scheduled for December 9 and 11.

Addressing a media conference here, Kelkar said he had received reports from across the state of BLOs being prevented from performing their duties, misinformation being spread about them, and instances of cyberattacks targeting them.

He said BLOs implementing the SIR on the mandate of the Election Commission were deemed public servants, and any obstruction of their duties, cyberattacks against them, or dissemination of false information would attract penal action under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

“Action will be taken under Section 121 (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter a public servant from duty) of the BNS, or under relevant cyber laws or the Information Technology Act, as applicable,” Kelkar said.

Kelkar said all necessary support, including police protection and assistance from voluntary organisations, would be provided to BLOs, and instructions to this
effect had been issued to district collectors.

He added that the SIR was being carried out strictly in accordance with the EC’s schedule and must be completed within the mandated time frame.

Kelkar claimed that 97 per cent of the enumeration forms had been distributed to the voters in the state and 5 lakh forms had been digitised.

The CEO appealed to the public to support the exercise, saying the objective was to ensure a “pure electoral roll”.

The first round — comprising distribution, collection and digitisation of the forms — will be conducted from November 4 to December 4.