First rehearsal: Poll staff walk in late

Nikhila Pant Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Maur (Bathinda), January 15

During the first election rehearsal held at Maur constituency today, government employees walked in late while some of them brought their children to the centre.

The rehearsal was scheduled for 10 am, but several employees could be seen walking in till 12 pm.

Irked with the laid-back attitude of the staff, Returning Officer of the Maur constituency Latif Ahmad remarked that the employees were walking in leisurely as if they were going for a picnic and urged them to make sure to abide by the rules of the rehearsals.

Being a Sunday, it was a holiday in schools and several female employees walked in with their children. A bank employee on the condition of anonymity said, “My son is six-year-old. On weekdays, he goes to a daycare centre after school hours but today both places were closed. I couldn’t have left him alone at home since my husband is out on a tour.”

Meanwhile, District Election Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori said 1,051 booths had been established in the district for the Assembly elections. He further added that today, six ROs of the district briefed 6,873 polling personnel about the polling process. He asked the polling staff to perform their duties without fear and favour.

During the rehearsals, the polling staff was instructed to submit Form-12 to the ROs, where they were registered as electors, so that they may be issued with postal ballots and they could cast their votes.

Three more rehearsals and training sessions for the polling personnel will be held before February 4.

The polling staff got training about the installation and working of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The DEO said the polling parties, especially the presiding and assistant presiding officers, had also got training about the Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), which would be used at all booths in Bathinda Urban (92) and Bathinda Rural (93).

The staff were also made aware of Do’s and Don’ts about the functioning and sealing of the EVMs.