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Teacher's death sparks scrutiny of poll worker conditions
Sarvesh Kumar, a schoolteacher in Uttar Pradesh, was found dead at home days after recording a video describing relentless election duties. His death has focused attention on the physical and mental toll of updating India's voter rolls.
Pressure of the Special Intensive Revision
The Election Commission (EC) launched the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) on 4 November to clean electoral rolls for over 500 million voters across 12 states and union territories. Booth-level officers-mostly government teachers, junior staff, and contract workers-were assigned door-to-door verification, form distribution, and data uploads, all due within a month.
Kumar, one of thousands deployed, said in his video, "I have not been able to sleep for 20 days. If I had time, I would have finished this work."
Workers report 14-hour days, health crises
The BBC interviewed 10 booth-level officers (BLOs) in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, who described 14-15 hour workdays with minimal rest and pay. Many juggled election duties alongside regular jobs, leaving little time for sleep or family.
Manisha Kumari, a 35-year-old teacher in Noida, said she wakes at 5 a.m. for household chores, works on SIR from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., then uploads data late into the night. "I have not had a day off since 4 November," she said, adding that her students suffer from her absence.
Sunil Singh, a poll worker in Ghaziabad, said his platelet count had dropped sharply but officials denied him leave. "The only way to get a leave is to be admitted to hospital," he said.
Families link deaths to election stress
At least a dozen workers, including Kumar, have died since the SIR began. Families allege the deaths-from suicides or heart attacks-are linked to election-related stress. The BBC has not independently verified the causes.
In Gujarat, primary school teacher Arvindbhai Vadher allegedly died by suicide last month, leaving a note citing "constant fatigue and mental stress" from BLO work. Another teacher, Rameshbhai Parmar, died in his sleep after a long day of SIR duties, his family said.
EC extends deadline, raises pay amid criticism
Opposition leaders criticized the EC for rushing the SIR, noting the 2002-2003 exercise took six months. Last week, the EC extended the deadline by a week to 11 December but did not explain why.
The EC also doubled BLO pay to 12,000 rupees ($144) and added a 6,000-rupee incentive. However, many workers said they hadn't received payments or knew how much they were owed. Some reported using personal phones and funds for election work.
The Supreme Court has ordered states to deploy extra staff to ease BLOs' workloads.
Workers fear legal action, lack recourse
Uttar Pradesh officials have filed cases against poll workers for alleged negligence, and reports suggest threats of job loss or jail for refusal. Sudhir Kumar Kori, an accountant, allegedly died by suicide after being reprimanded for taking a day off for his wedding.
BLOs have protested and written to the EC and National Human Rights Commission for better conditions but lack formal channels to appeal workloads. Some states are recruiting student volunteers or offering incentives to top performers.
"Let us see if we get any money, our hopes are low,"
a poll worker in Noida, who requested anonymity
