Bhopal. Sir, I am on election duty in the reserve category, whereas I look after the work related to the Prime Minister’s Mission, hence my duty should be removed. Here an officer of the forest department told that it is my sister-in-law’s wedding, if I don’t go then there will be a fight in the house. Will have to go out to attend the wedding ceremony. Therefore, election duty should be removed. The employees who reached the Collectorate on Thursday told this to the officers. Officers have also started investigation regarding the applications coming for removal of election duty. In this, only such employees will be relieved from election duty, who will not be able to actually perform election duty. The responsibility of election duty has been given to Additional Collector Ankita Dhakre. So far, more than three hundred applications have been received for cancellation of election duty.
Collector suspended five employees
Collector Ashish Singh appointed five employees whose duty was in the office of the Chief Electoral Officer. Instructions were given to suspend him for his absence from the workplace. These include Gopal Prasad Sharma, prompt writer, Narmada Valley Development Authority, Shubham Jadhav, Assistant Grade 3 Executive Engineer Maintenance, Bhopal, Amar Yadav, Bhritya, Barkatulla University, Mohanlal Kashyap, Bhritya Office, Principal, Pre-Training and Ramesh Wankhede, Madhya Pradesh Bhoj Open University.
Stirring among employees on leave
In view of the elections, there is panic due to ban on leave of government officers and employees. This includes those employees who are on leave due to illness or have taken advance leave. On Thursday, many employees and officers got up from bed and reached the Collectorate and requested for leave by showing medical certificate and reservation ticket.
Women arrived with children in their arms
Many women arrived with newborn babies in their arms. Many came with medical certificates to get their duty cancelled. A woman came with her application that after the death of her husband due to Corona, she has the responsibility of the small child. Different arguments were also given for cancellation of duty.
Scientists asked for relief from duty
The head of the department of the Bureau of Indian Standards came to get the duty of three scientists including himself removed from the elections. He told that he has only one office in Madhya Pradesh and his staff has to travel to foreign countries. Therefore, his and his staff’s duty should be cancelled.
Duty will be canceled only for valid reasons
Deputy District Election Officer Ravi Shankar Rai says that elections are a national festival, everyone should contribute in it. If everyone cancels election duty then how will the elections be held? However, there are rules for cancellation of duty, in which duty can be canceled on the basis of age above 60 years, illness, humanitarian etc. but there should be valid reasons for the same.
