The Election Commission of India (ECI) has approved a substantial pay hike for Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and Supervisors, along with newly introduced honorariums for senior officials overseeing electoral roll management.
As per the press release issued today, the annual remuneration for BLOs has been doubled to Rs 12,000 from the previous Rs 6,000. BLO Supervisors will now receive Rs 18,000, up from Rs 12,000. This is the first revision of pay since 2015, marking a significant shift in ECI’s approach toward field-level compensation.
Further, in a first-of-its-kind initiative, honorariums will be provided to Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs). EROs will receive Rs 30,000 annually, and AEROs will be granted Rs 25,000, acknowledging their critical role in upholding accurate and transparent voter rolls.
The incentive for BLOs involved in the revision of electoral rolls also sees an increase from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000. Moreover, BLOs deployed for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar will be eligible for an additional Rs 6,000 incentive.
The Commission emphasised the pivotal role electoral staff play in ensuring purity and transparency in electoral rolls and reiterated its commitment to empowering field-level personnel.
This policy update is seen as a strong affirmation of ECI’s resolve to strengthen India’s democratic backbone through better support and recognition of its electoral workforce.
