Another death by suicide of a Block Level Officer (BLO) has been reported in West Bengal, further intensifying the debate over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists.
Rinku Tarafdar (53), a para-teacher who was recently assigned the responsibility of BLO, died by hanging in her home in Shasthitala, Krishnanagar, Nadia, on Saturday morning.
According to her family, she had been under severe mental stress from the beginning of her assignment as she lacked adequate computer skills, a key requirement for the extensive digital workload involved in the SIR process.
The incident occurred two days after state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner, highlighting multiple suicides of BLOs and common citizens across Bengal. In her letter, she accused the Election Commission (EC) of rushing the voter list revision exercise and urged for its immediate suspension.
Family members of Rinku Tarafdar, meanwhile, said she had been struggling for days under the growing weight of administrative demands, tight targets, and the fear of punitive action in case of errors. They alleged she had been unable to sleep at night, overwhelmed by constant phone calls, deadlines, and the pressure of completing tasks she was untrained for.
Her suicide note, recovered by police, read: “If I cannot complete the work of BLO, administrative pressure will come. It is not possible for me to take it.”
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Her family stated, “She was a part-time teacher, not used to computers. Despite that, she was forced into such a huge responsibility. She couldn’t take the pressure, and this is the result.”
Her death has created shock and outrage in the locality. Residents say that among all the staff involved in the SIR process, BLOs are facing the heaviest workload. Their duties include collecting large volumes of voter information, filling out digital forms, conducting verification, and ensuring accurate inclusion of names in the electoral rolls. Over the past few weeks, political reactions have grown sharper, with many questioning the feasibility of completing such a massive exercise within the time frame set by the EC.
Mamata Banerjee, in her letter, pointed out that a similar revision drive in 2002 had taken around two years, whereas the present one is being pushed to finish in just two months. She warned that this rushed approach is not only leading to errors such as the exclusion of genuine voters, but also placing unbearable pressure on government workers.
“There is danger from two sides—fear of punishment if there is a mistake, and public anger if voters are excluded. Due to this panic and pressure, suicides are increasing,” the chief minister wrote.
State government workers’ associations have also echoed serious concerns. “We have already reported that BLOs across various districts were experiencing mental breakdowns, health deterioration, and exhaustion from late-night work sessions, server failures, and continuous data entry. While democratic procedures are crucial, they cannot come at the cost of workers’ lives,” said a member of the association.
Responding to questions regarding the mounting pressure on BLOs, West Bengal’s Chief Electoral Officer, Manoj Agarwal, said that while the workload is significant, it is necessary to complete the process within the stipulated time. “There is a little pressure,” he acknowledged, adding, “But SIR has also been conducted in Bihar. It is not that we cannot do it.”
He added that although the maximum number of voters per booth can go up to 1200, the average in most booths is around 800, and officials must work accordingly.
As the investigation into Rinku Tarafdar’s death continues, her case has deepened public concern over the human cost of the ongoing revision exercise. With political leaders, workers’ bodies, and locals raising alarms, the debate over whether the SIR process should continue at its current pace has gained renewed intensity across the state.
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