New Delhi, November 29, 2025 — In a significant move to recognize the efforts of grassroots electoral staff, the Election Commission of India on Saturday announced a comprehensive revision of honorariums for booth-level personnel, doubling the annual payment for Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and introducing compensation for senior electoral officials for the first time.
The decision, communicated through an official notification issued on Saturday evening, marks the first revision in electoral staff honorariums since 2015 and represents the Commission’s most substantial pay enhancement for field-level workers in a decade.
Historic Pay Increases Announced
Under the revised structure, BLOs—who form the backbone of India’s electoral machinery—will now receive ₹12,000 annually, up from ₹6,000. Their supervisors will see their honorarium increased by 50%, from ₹12,000 to ₹18,000 per year.
In a ground-breaking development, the Commission has introduced honorariums for Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) for the first time. EROs will receive ₹30,000 annually, while AEROs will be paid ₹25,000 per year—positions that previously carried no separate compensation.
The incentive for BLOs conducting electoral roll revisions has also been doubled from ₹1,000 to ₹2,000.
Complete Honorarium Structure
| Designation | Previous Rate (2015) | Revised Rate (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Booth Level Officers (BLOs) | ₹6,000 | ₹12,000 |
| BLO Electoral Roll Revision Incentive | ₹1,000 | ₹2,000 |
| BLO Supervisors | ₹12,000 | ₹18,000 |
| Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) | Nil | ₹25,000 |
| Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) | Nil | ₹30,000 |
Special Provision for Bihar
Responding to a specific request from Bihar, the Commission has approved an additional special incentive of ₹6,000 for BLOs engaged in Special Intensive Revision (SIR) activities in the state, reflecting the unique challenges and workload in certain regions.
Commission’s Rationale
In its official release, the Election Commission emphasized the critical role these officials play in maintaining democracy’s foundation. “A clean electoral roll is the cornerstone of democracy,” the statement read. “Electoral Registration Officers, Assistant Electoral Registration Officers, BLO Supervisors, and BLOs work extremely hard in the electoral process and play a crucial role in the preparation of fair and transparent electoral rolls.”
The Commission noted that these field-level officers are instrumental in ensuring the accuracy and integrity of voter lists, working tirelessly during electoral roll updates, summary revisions, and various verification exercises throughout the year.
Impact and Significance
The decision is expected to boost morale among the lakhs of electoral staff who manage India’s vast democratic exercise. BLOs are responsible for maintaining voter lists at the booth level, conducting door-to-door verification, and ensuring that eligible voters are enrolled while bogus entries are removed.
The introduction of honorariums for EROs and AEROs acknowledges their supervisory and coordination roles in the electoral registration process, which have historically gone uncompensated despite their significance.
Electoral experts have welcomed the move, noting that the decade-long gap since the last revision had not kept pace with inflation and the increasing complexity of electoral duties, particularly with the introduction of digital tools and more frequent verification exercises.
With assembly elections scheduled in several states in the coming months, the enhanced compensation structure is expected to improve staff motivation and contribute to more accurate and up-to-date electoral rolls across the country.
The revised honorarium structure will come into effect immediately, benefiting electoral staff ahead of the upcoming election cycles.
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