Kannur, Kerala — A school employee assigned as a Booth Level Officer (BLO) for the upcoming local body elections was found hanging in his home in Payyannur on Sunday, sparking allegations that excessive work pressure linked to electoral roll duties pushed him to suicide.
The deceased, identified as Aneesh George, worked as a peon at a government school and had been engaged in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Police said he was discovered hanging on the first-floor hall of his residence. An FIR mentions that he had been under significant stress related to his BLO responsibilities.
Family members and locals alleged that heavy workload and late-night tasks connected to SIR overwhelmed George. A relative, Shyam, told reporters that George had been working until 2 am on Sunday to finish form-filling tasks and distribute documents within his designated area. He described the pressure as “immense and continuous.”
The incident has intensified the ongoing political debate surrounding SIR in Kerala. Leaders from both the CPI(M) and Congress condemned the circumstances leading to George’s death. CPI(M) leader M V Jayarajan said they had repeatedly highlighted the burden placed on BLOs and urged the Election Commission to pause SIR implementation until the local body polls conclude.
Congress leader Rijil Makkutty claimed the Election Commission’s push for SIR ahead of elections aligned with “BJP’s agenda,” calling George a victim of an unnecessary administrative rush.
Kerala’s Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar said a detailed report has been sought from the Kannur district collector. While acknowledging the incident, he asserted that BLOs are required to work exclusively on SIR for 31 days and typically do not face such pressure. He added that the police probe, along with the collector’s report, would reveal the full circumstances surrounding the death.
A police investigation is underway.
