New Delhi: The chief electoral officer of Delhi has requested govt to exempt teachers who were deployed as BLOs from census duty so that the SIR-related work does not suffer.“I am directed to request you to kindly exempt teachers/other officials who were deployed as BLOs, BLO supervisors from census duties so that the SIR-related work does not suffer and is successfully completed in a time-bound manner,” said a letter written by the deputy chief electoral officer of Delhi, addressed to the divisional commissioner. “As of now, there are 13,033 polling stations in the NCT of Delhi and approximately 7,500 teachers of DOE/MCD were deployed as BLOs, BLO supervisors, apart from other ministerial staff etc. These teachers, if deployed for census work, may hamper the crucial work of SIR,” the letter stated.In Delhi, preparations are on for the rollout of the SIR along with the first phase of the upcoming census in 2027, with both exercises expected to begin around April.The simultaneous start of these two large-scale administrative operations is likely to create a manpower crunch, as both depend heavily on govt field staff such as teachers, clerks and other departmental employees who are typically deployed as enumerators and booth-level workers. While the census requires extensive door-to-door data collection, the SIR process involves intensive verification and updating of voter lists.The ECI in Feb informed the Delhi CEO’s office that the SIR is expected to start in April.“At present, mapping electors for the electoral roll of 2025 is being done vis-à-vis the electors of 2002, which is a crucial exercise before the start of actual SIR and has to be completed in a time-bound manner,” the letter said.
