SHILLONG, JUN 14: A teacher appointed as presiding officer in the last Meghalaya Legislative Assembly 2013 elections Friday petition to the Election Commission of India (ECI) demanding punitive action against the Mairang Sub-Divisional Officer (Election) for alleged “misutilization” of fund to the tune of Rs 3.67 lakh allotted by the commission for election officials in the two constituencies under Mairang block in West Khasi hills district.
The petition came in the wake following an RTI finding exposing the irregularities and misappropriation in the implementation of funds by the SDO – a violation against the rules and regulations of the order issued by the ECI.
Fairson Kharjana – a teacher in a private secondary school in West Khasi hills district had sought information under the RTI Act 2005 on the allotted amount to be paid for each official attending duty during the elections in as many as 102 polling stations in the two constituencies 52 in Mairang and 50 in Mawthadraishan.
As per the order issued by the ECI, the election department was directed to pay to the different category of staffs deployed for duty – Rs 250 per day for presiding officer, Rs 175 for polling officers and Rs 100 for third polling or Class IV staff besides providing with packed lunch at the rate of Rs 100 per head per day.
However, the RTI finding revealed that the SDO has failed to make the required payment allotted to the officials deployed in the polling stations and counting centers.
“Out of eight days of duty including training, the SDO has paid only for four days but failed to pay for the days that the staffs had attended the training conducted by the election department which is a clear violation of the ECI order,” said Kharjana ,who was appointed as a presiding officer at Mawiong polling station under Mairang constituency, in a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEO) of India.
Kharjana said most of the officials failed to get the food package which they were supposed to get while performing election duty.
According to Kharjana, the ECI had clearly directed the department that payment be made since the time the staffs attended election related duty which included trainings. The training for the election duty was held four days from January 28 till February 15 while polling duty started from February 20 – 21, the counting was held on February 22 – 23.
However, the ECI order also categorically stated that – “failing to adhere to the order will attract legal action as per ECI law.”
Kharjana further asked the ECI to take stern action against people responsible for depriving the staffs of their rights saying that the “Law is equal to everyone.”
Speaking to reporters at a news conference on Friday, Kharjana further said that most of the staff deployed for election duty had to spend from their own pocket.
Kharjana, however, argued, “This is totally unfair as to why should we spend from our own pocket for the conducting elections which is a state affair” adding that if this is the plight that they have to go through, then he would encourage others not to participate in the next elections to be held in the state. –By Our Reporter
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