Thursday, January 17, 2008

Measures towards more effective election duty by government machinery

1/Even preamble of the constitution of India is clear enough to maintain dignity of every individual though some of the officers & supervisory staff were given the orders as peon in election duty. some were courageous enough to send back for modification rest even with humiliation perform the duty in fear of prosecution. .
2/In many of the election duty areas bare minimum facility to stay & food remain day dream for the staff on duty.
3/Arrangement at receiving station was never up to mark at many centers especially in remote areas, staff found in lurch to deposit the material at late night hours.
4/ Lack of proper training found almost all time, election staff were not in a position to contact each other well in advance to manage their booth duty successfully. Regarding payment of compensation also it has been noticed that uniformity is not maintained.
5/ It has been found that many senior officers in pay scale or hierarchy were posted as presiding officers while juniors in rank & file were found as either zonal officers or as micro observers. this is certainly compunct such dignified officers.
considering the observations i would like to suggest few alternatives.
1/ Many of the returning officers or Asst.R.O. were found fresher for election duty. perhaps first timer while many officers posted as presiding or zonal officers had sizable election duty experience- to address this issues well experience senior officers from other department of government apart from revenue may be utilize in a better manner as R.O Or Asst. R.O.this will create good feeling amongst other officers with dignified duty & job satisfaction. also it will help to mange their departmental staff on election duty with more ease , facility & comfort in better governance.
2/ To avoid humiliating treatment & bellow dignity work software may be develop accordingly giving logic of pay scale & designation to give election duty orders. & To confirm the same in consonance same may be check & verified by one of the administrative officer from large department who may be requisitioned for election duty well in advance.
3/ If From any large organization or public office one administrative officer is deputed & given the responsibility he can better manage not only all hierarchy but also entrusted for transportation, compensation & related issues including training too.
4/ We have very good network of organizational hierarchy at village level in the form of Talati/ or village secretary to whom if effectively utilized during election duty for better facility & comfort i don't think at booth level election staff might have any problem of staying food including in performance of statutory duty by presiding officers. of course he should never be given any active roll in booth duty. But unfortunately these potential never either thought or if so not scrupulously implemented.
5/ Many of the micro observers posted either were fresher or not able to grasp entire booth level duty entirely which may kill the very purpose of system. To cop up with it well experience managerial/ administrative officers having handful experience of election duty only may be prefer ed. This will give certainly more output.
6/ Every time election authority is facing gigantic task of requisitioning of vehicles for election duty, to overcome same for the job of zonal officer or micro observers whom posting is given may be asked to come with the detail of their own four wheeler vehicle details. Now a days car is not luxury so most of those will do the duty in their own vehicle of course with prescribe mileage rate. This will serve dual purpose solve the demand of vehicles, & second but not the least alleged manipulation in the payment of rented vehicles may be checked automatically.
7/Randomisation of staff & last moment order of spot duty is OK. but attest at the time of second meeting team should be formed to acquaint with each other & manage duty well in advance.
8/ One of the issue observed was no any vehicle was allowed within 200 meters while some sick or old age voters were facing difficulty in facing to reach from there to booth for this humanitarian aspect may be consider.

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