Policemen guarding EVMs go unpaid

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, February 7

Punjab policemen guarding the electronic voting machines in strong rooms rue that they are not paid any allowance for this tough duty, while many of their counterparts who were on poll duty on February 4 were paid honorariums.

Thousands of policemen are protecting these EVMs round the clock and will continue to do so till March 11.

While the Election Commission has no policy for all officials on this duty, the Punjab policemen say they have to camp at the spot.

While the EC paid a fixed honorarium as per rank to those on poll duty at polling stations on February 4, it has made no such arrangements for those manning the counting machine centres.

“While the polling agents and officers were paid honorarium ranging from Rs 175 to as high as Rs 1,000 per day, we are paid nothing,” said a constable deputed in Patiala.

According to the current norms, only those deputed inside the polling stations on Election Day and during counting of votes are paid special allowance. The entire expenditure is paid to officials from the consolidated fund of the state treasury, which is earmarked for the polls.

Numerous officials from the police department and paramilitary and the administrative officers deputed for over a month on various poll-related duties are up in arms against the EC’s “apathetic” attitude towards them.

Another paramilitary official confirm that they protect the EVMs round the clock. From eating to bathing, they do everything at these centres.

“However, when it comes to honorariums, only those who were on duty on the polling day were paid,” said a police officer guarding the machines at a local college in Sangrur.

Even the police officers rued that those at polling stations got richer by a few hundred rupees, while the others who were on general law and order duty got nothing.

“It is not about money, but parity in terms,” said a SHO-ranked officer. “From law and order to collecting firearms, we did everything, but were paid nothing. Not even a certificate for our tough duty,” he said.

“We have brought this to the notice of EC officials and a proposal in this regard is in the pipeline. According to the proposal, officials on 24-hour polling duty will get special honorarium from next time,” he added.

Additional DGP-cum-Nodal Officer for Legislative Assembly Elections, 2017, VK Bhawra said usually all on poll duty get special allowance. “I will check if we can have some honorarium for these men protecting EVMs,” he added.