Villupuram Collector warns of severe action against poll training absentees

VILLUPURAM: District Collector R.Palanisamy has said that only three categories of officials are exempted from attending the training programmes on election procedures and on the operation of the Electronic Voting Machines.

They are: expectant mothers, severely handicapped persons and those undergoing treatment as in-patients. They should produce proper medical certificates as proof of their inability to attend the programme.

In a statement here, the Collector, who is also the District Electoral Officer, had stated that as many as 12,668 officials had been assigned the election duty.

The first phase of training programme for them was organised in 13 centres across the district on Thursday. The details of the EVMs and the conduct of the model elections were also conveyed to the polling officials through screening of short films.

The Collector personally supervised the programmes at Ramakrishna Higher Secondary School in Villupuram and at another centre in Ulundurpet. The Collector voiced concern over the extent of absenteeism in these programmes (at least 40-50 officials excused themselves in each centre).

Taking a serious view of the absenteeism, the Collector stated that they were abstaining from the duty without any valid reasons. If they do not discharge their responsibility properly they would attract departmental action as well as legal proceedings as provided under the election rules. The Collector noted that the next phases of training would be provided on May 5 and 9.
Training in Cuddalore

At Cuddalore a similar training programme was organised in the presence of District Collector Rajendra Ratnoo, who is also the District Electoral Officer, District Revenue Officer S.Natarajan, Personal Assistant (General) M.Rajendran, Office Manager (Crime) R.Abaranji and Tahsildar M.G.Rajendran. The Collector said as many as 9,540 polling officials would undergo the training on how to handle the EVMs in three phases. Training was organised at nine centres such as Cuddalore, Panruti and Chidambaram (two each), and, Kattumannarkoil, Thittakudi and Vriddhachalam (one each).