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[2026:RJ-JD:5560]

HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN AT

JODHPUR

S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 1994/2026

Suwa Lal Meena S/o Shri Ram Sahay Meena, Aged About 34

Years, Resident Of Badgotiyo Ki Dhani, Post Boodthal, Teh. Bassi

District Jaipur, Raj.

----Petitioner

Versus

1. The State Of Rajasthan, Through Its Chief Electoral

Officer, State Election Commission, Secretariat, Jaipur.

2. The District Election Officer (Collector), District Bikaner.

3. The Electoral Registration Officer Cum Sub Division

Magistrate (Sdm), Kolayat, District Bikaner.

4. The Director Secondary Education, Bikaner.

5. The District Education Officers (Headquarter), Secondary

Education, Bikaner.

----Respondents

For Petitioner(s) : Mr. B.L. Jat.

For Respondent(s) :

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE MUNNURI LAXMAN

Order

30/01/2026

1. The present writ petition has been filed challenging the

impugned orders dated 21.02.2023 (Annex.3), whereby the

petitioner has been appointed as ‘Booth Level Officer’ (BLO) for

Polling Booth No. 146, New Booth No.172, Sr. Sec. School, Left

Part Kotdi, Tehsil-Kolayat, District-Bikaner, whereas the petitioner

is elector/voter of Booth No. 170, Budthal, Assembly-Bassi,

District-Jaipur. He further submits that as per the instructions of

the Election Commission of India issued vide order dated

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09.06.2025, a ‘Booth Level Officer’ (BLO) should be a voter in the

polling station where, he is deputed as ‘Block Level Officer’ (BLO).

2. In this regard, certain guidelines have been issued by the

Election Commission of India which reads as follows:

“1.1 ERO to appoint a BLO for each part of an electoral

roll, under Section 13B(2) of the Representation of

the People At, 1950, amongst any Group C and

above regular serving employees of state/local

government enrolled as elector in that part.

1.2 In the absence of regular state/local government

employees, ERO may appoint BLO amongst

Anganwadi workers, Contract Teachers, or central

government employees. However, in such cases,

CEO shall obtain a non-availability certificate

(Annexure-I) singed by ERO and countersigned by

DEO.

1.3 In the absence of any employee of categories

mentioned above enrolled as an elector in that

part of electoral roll, ERO with the prior approval

of CEO, may appoint BLO amongst such categories

of employee working in the area covered by that

part of electoral roll.”

3. A reading of the above clause makes out that the employees

who are falling under Group-C category are required to be

appointed as Booth Level Officer in the booth in which such

employee is registered as an elector. If the officers of Group – C

are not available in the booth then they have to resort to any

other Anganwadi workers, contract teachers or Central

Government employees who are registered as voters in that

particular booth. If the above two category employees are not

found registered as elector in the booth, then any other person

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from any other areas can be appointed in that booth, even though

they are not registered as voters in that booth.

4. The petitioner’s claim is that there are employees who are

registered voters in the respective booth for which the petitioner

was appointed. In spite of availability of such employees, the

petitioner was appointed in the said booth and the appointment

order does not indicate that the categories of employees as

detailed in Clause 1.1 and 1.2 were not available so that the

petitioner could be appointed to the said booth though she is not a

registered voter in that booth.

5. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that

the petitioner’s case may be reconsidered in case any of the

employees referred in Clause 1.1 and 1.2 of the amended

Guidelines dated 05.06.2025 are available, they shall be appointed

as BLO instead of the petitioner who is not a registered elector in