Give show cause notice to those skipping poll training: Collector

NAGPUR: The district administration has started conducting election training programmes for 12 assembly segments under the jurisdiction of Nagpur and Ramtek Lok Sabha constituencies.
Collector Ashwin Mudgal, who is also the returning officer for the polls, has given directives to issue show cause notices to those officials and employees entrusted with the election duties skipping the mandatory training.Mudgal recently took a review of various departments at the collectorate regarding poll preparations and issued directives in this regard.
Ramtek returning officer Shrikant Phadke, deputy election officer Rajlaxmi Shah, nodal officer for election duties Avinash Katade, deputy collector and nodal officer Ravindra Kumbhare, foodgrains distribution officer Wardekar, joint director accounts Mona Thakur, and heads of various branches of elections and assistant returning officers were present in the meeting.
Mudgal apprised them of the need of additional manpower for the elections in view of permission to use of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) for voting. The officials from various government departments were roped in for poll duties from six assembly constituencies in the city.
The first training was mandatory for disseminating information regarding preparations for the elections. However, a large number of those assigned the task failed to attend the training programme. Subsequently, Mudgal directed subordinates to issue show cause notices to such officials, seeking explanation from them.
In Nagpur and Ramtek Lok Sabha constituencies, about 21,912 officers and employees would be needed for various polling stations, while another 10,956 for other poll-related duties. Of them, 11,724 officers and employees for six assembly constituencies from rural areas are deployed for Ramtek constituency, besides 5,862 other polling officers.
For Nagpur constituency, 10,188 officers and employees have been appointed for six constituencies in the city. along with 5,094 polling officers.