Police produces truant polling officers

TURA, APR 8: Six designated presiding officers in West Garo hills district were produced before the Tura Lok Sabha returning officer Pravin Bakshi by the police for failing to report for elections duty on Tuesday, just one day ahead of the April 9 parliamentary elections, while two of them challenged the Election department staff and said “do what you  can do.”

Altogether there were 22 cases of polling personnel that includes presiding officers who did not report for election duty. Bakshi said in a statement on Tuesday that when these polling personnel were contacted their mobile were either out of reach or they did not pick up the frantic calls made from the election branch and personal cell of the District Election Officer of West Garo Hills district.

The six polling personnel who had been produced by police before Bakshi for failing to attend training as well as actual election duty were discharged after hearing. The returning officer has asked them to submit affidavits and disciplinary action will be initiated against them.

Bakshi also informed that notices to the rest of the polling personnel who played truant and refuse to respond the mobile calls will be served through the police and they will be produced before him.

Bakshi warned that if no valid explanation is give the erring polling personnel will face departmental action and punishment under Section 134 of the Representation of Peoples Act . He said that five other non reporting defaulters have also been asked to produce medical certificates.

Bakshi asserted that action will be taken against the defaulters as allowing them to go scot free will send a poor message to the several hundreds of polling personnel who braves difficult conditions and perform this national duty .

Baksi also said all pregnant and lactating mothers have been exempted from election duty. He, however, said if any such woman polling personnel has missed the exemption due some reason on the spot exemptions will be given. He informed that the female EACs have been deputed to keep a check on this issue.- From Our Correspondent