Karnataka Anganwadi Workers Seek Exemption from Election Duties, Cite Pressure and Disruption

Anganwadi workers across Karnataka have formally requested the Election Commission of India (ECI) to exempt them from serving as Block Level Officers (BLOs) during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The workers, who provide essential childcare and maternal health services under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme, contend that the additional assignment is severely affecting their primary responsibilities.

In a letter to the ECI earlier this week, the Karnataka State Anganwadi Employees’ Association highlighted that workers are being assigned stringent voter verification targets without sufficient training on the revised electoral procedures. The association stated that field-level officials have threatened disciplinary action, including suspension, if targets are not met. This has led to a situation where anganwadi workers feel compelled to prioritise SIR duties over the care of children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers at anganwadi centres.

S. Varalakshmi, State President of the association, said that while children continue to attend centres daily, workers are forced to spend significant time on door-to-door verification and documentation, leaving children inadequately supervised. "The pressure to complete electoral roll revision within tight deadlines has created a situation where anganwadi workers are being forced to prioritise SIR-related work over their primary responsibilities at anganwadi centres," she stated. The association noted that workers are unable to meet the SIR targets without compromising care at the centres.

On Wednesday, hundreds of anganwadi workers gathered at Freedom Park in Bengaluru to protest against the dual burden. Many claimed they have received warning notices threatening suspension, and some are considering resignation due to the mental stress. The protestors demanded immediate exemption from BLO duties and a review of the workload assigned to them during the electoral revision period.

Beyond the pressure of targets, workers raised concerns about documentation challenges. They pointed out that many women, particularly those who moved after marriage from another district or state, are unable to produce the required documents for voter verification. Workers alleged that local officials pressurise them to somehow complete the documentation, creating a risk that they might later be held personally accountable for any discrepancies in the voter rolls.

The anganwadi workers emphasised that they are already overburdened with multiple responsibilities under the ICDS programme. Their routine tasks include identifying and treating malnutrition among children below six years, monitoring the health of pregnant and lactating women, conducting home visits, maintaining records, and updating beneficiary data through the Poshan Tracker mobile application. With the introduction of digital monitoring and facial recognition-based attendance, workers said they are spending six to seven hours a day on ICDS duties alone. Any additional election-related work, they argued, makes it impossible to fulfill both roles adequately.

They also highlighted logistical difficulties such as poor internet connectivity in rural areas, lack of proper mobile phones, inadequate data allowances, and frequent meetings called by election officials. Workers often have to travel to panchayat or taluk offices to upload data due to network unavailability in their villages, further eating into their time.

Staff shortages within the Anganwadi system have compounded the problem. Thousands of worker and helper posts are reportedly vacant across Karnataka, forcing many existing workers to manage additional centres. Some BLOs have been assigned areas beyond their own anganwadi jurisdiction, covering multiple villages and increasing their workload manifold.

The workers have urged the Election Commission and the state government to consider their difficulties and grant exemption from BLO duties during the SIR period to ensure that early childhood care and maternal nutrition services are not disrupted. As of now, there has been no official response from the ECI regarding the request.