West Bengal's Election Preparations: Opposition Parties Lead in Booth-Level Agent Appointments

As the Election Commission of India embarks on the Special Intensive Revision in West Bengal, the BJP and CPI(M) have taken the lead in appointing booth-level agents, surpassing the ruling Trinamool Congress. With over 63,940 agents appointed, concerns arise over the low ratio of booth-level officers. The Chief Electoral Officer has urged political parties to increase their appointments to ensure a transparent electoral process. The SIR is expected to conclude by March 2026, marking a significant step in the state's electoral preparations.

By Narendra Chaudhary Nov 5, 2025, 11:49 IST

Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision in West Bengal

Kolkata, Nov 5: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has initiated the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal, revealing that the primary opposition parties, BJP and CPI(M), have surpassed the ruling Trinamool Congress in the appointment of booth-level agents (BLAs).

According to data from the Chief Electoral Officer's office in West Bengal, as of 5 p.m. on Tuesday, the BJP has appointed 24,858 BLAs, while CPI(M) has designated 18,706.

In contrast, the Trinamool Congress has only managed to appoint 13,526 BLAs during the same timeframe, with Congress trailing significantly behind at just 5,797.

The total number of booth-level agents appointed by all recognized national and state political parties registered with the ECI has reached over 63,940, which includes both BLA-1s and BLA-2s.

A BLA-1 serves as a party representative for an assembly constituency, whereas a BLA-2 represents the party at a specific polling booth. The current number of appointed BLAs is relatively low, prompting district election officers to urge all political parties to assign at least one agent per booth.

The ECI has expressed concern regarding the notably low ratio of booth-level officers (BLOs) appointed by the commission compared to the booth-level agents nominated by political parties in West Bengal.

During an all-party meeting on October 28, West Bengal's Chief Electoral Officer, Manoj Kumar Agarwal, voiced his worries about this shortfall, encouraging party representatives to increase their BLA appointments to facilitate a transparent and efficient revision process. He assured that BLOs would engage regularly with the BLAs from all recognized parties throughout the SIR.

Sources from the CEO's office indicated, "With the current low BLO-to-BLA ratio in West Bengal, regular interactions between BLOs and BLAs will be significantly hindered. Therefore, the commission is urging political parties to take proactive measures to appoint a sufficient number of BLAs."

The entire SIR process is anticipated to be completed by March 2026 at the latest, with the last revision in West Bengal occurring in 2002.