Summary
An intensive voter roll update effort in India involves government workers, such as teachers, who report long hours, little sleep, and low pay. This drive affects more than 500 million voters in 12 regions, but has faced criticism and scrutiny after reports of worker deaths under stressful conditions. Despite recent extensions, concerns about the workload and the working environment persist.
Key Facts
- Teachers and other government employees are updating electoral rolls for over 500 million voters.
- The project is called the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
- Workers report working 14–15 hours daily with minimal rest and poor pay.
- More than a dozen workers have died, reportedly from stress-related causes.
- Sarvesh Kumar, a school teacher, died after expressing job-related pressures in a video.
- The Election Commission has extended the deadline for the SIR by a week.
- Some families claim deaths are linked to high-stress election work.
- Criticism has been aimed at the Election Commission and government for rushing the process.
