In this three-tier panchayat election, the employees engaged in polling duty will not be able to cast their vote. Like other elections, there is no guideline from the Election Commission for the polling personnel to exercise their right to vote during the panchayat election.
At the same time, people associated with the Teachers’ Union and other employee organizations said that the employees should not be deprived of their rights in this election. Proper arrangements should have been made for this. In the three-tier panchayat election in Uttarkashi, 3395 employees will perform the duty of conducting voting in various polling stations. Along with this, 20 zonal magistrates, 76 sector magistrates and 50 in-charge officers have been appointed. In this three-tier panchayat election, these polling personnel will not be able to cast their vote. For this, no guideline has been issued by the Election Commission.
At the same time, officials of various organizations including the Teachers’ Union have expressed displeasure over this. District President of the Government Teachers’ Union, Atol Mahar said that during the assembly, Lok Sabha and municipal body elections, there is a provision of postal ballot for the polling personnel to cast their votes. But there is no such arrangement in the three-tier Panchayat elections. While most of the employees are associated with rural areas.
Almost everyone’s name is in rural polling areas. At the same time, the number of employees is also high in many villages. But due to their not exercising their vote, the voting percentage there is also getting affected. Therefore, the Election Commission should make arrangements in this as well like other elections. CDO SL Semwal says that the Election Commission has not given any guideline for the voting of polling personnel in the Panchayat elections.
