SIR: Booth-level officers to boycott work on Nov 17 following official's death in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): The SIR of the electoral roll in Kerala is likely to be disrupted on Monday as various trade unions, including those representing government employees, announced that booth-level officers across the state will boycott work following the suicide of an official in Kannur.
The work boycott was announced by the Action Council of State Government Employees and Teachers, the Joint Committee of Teacher Service Organisations, and the Kerala NGO Association on Sunday.
In a statement, the trade unions said BLOs across the state would abstain from work on Monday.
Joint protest marches are also planned at the office of the Kerala Chief Electoral Officer and at collectorates in all districts.
The organisations alleged that BLOs are under severe pressure due to the Special Intensive Revision process and duties related to the upcoming local body elections.
Although all political parties and service organisations demanded that the SIR be postponed, the Election Commission reportedly refused.
"Instead, it imposed an unrealistic workload with high targets in a very short period. This pressure is pushing BLOs toward suicide," the statement said.
The Kerala NGO Association also announced protest marches to the Chief Electoral Officer’s office and collectorates across the state. Association leaders said the SIR process should be stopped immediately to prevent further suicides.
According to the association, BLOs are being forced to work day and night to revise a voters’ list that was published 23 years ago, without being given sufficient time. They warned that further agitations would be organised in the coming days if an immediate solution is not found.
Aneesh George, 44, a BLO in Payyannur, Kannur, was found hanging in his house on Sunday. Family members and residents alleged that he took the extreme step due to work-related pressure linked to the SIR.
Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan, said George’s death should be thoroughly probed, as BLOs are facing excessive workloads.
He urged the Election Commission and the state government to conduct a proper inquiry and provide a clear explanation.
"SIR was initiated by the central government. The ongoing process is more intensive than even the preparations for the Assembly elections," he said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Rupee falls 9 paise to all-time low of 90.58 against US dollar in early trade
Mumbai (PTI): Rupee depreciated 9 paise to an all-time low of 90.58 against US dollar in early trade on Monday, weighed down by uncertainty over an India-US trade deal and persistent foreign fund outflows.
Forex traders said rupee is trading with a negative bias as investors are in wait and watch mode and awaiting cues from the India-US trade deal front.
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 90.53 against the US dollar, then fell further to an all-time intraday low of 90.58 against the greenback, registering a fall of 9 paise over its previous close.
On Friday, the rupee had slipped 17 paise to close at an all-time low of 90.49 against the American currency.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.05 per cent lower at 98.35.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading higher by 0.52 per cent at USD 61.44 per barrel in futures trade.
On the domestic equity market front, the 30-share benchmark index Sensex was trading 298.86 points lower at 84,968.80, while the Nifty was down 121.40 points at 25,925.55.
Foreign Institutional Investors sold equities worth Rs 1,114.22 crore on Friday, according to exchange data.
"FPIs continue to be in selling mode in equity and debt while RBI has been selling dollars to fund their long positions," said Anil Kumar Bhansali, Head of Treasury and Executive Director Finrex Treasury Advisors LLP.
