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APrO alleges discrepancy in election duty allowance, Ludhiana DC marks probe
Alleging bungling of funds meant for lunch and dinner of the election staff, Ludhiana South APrO Sandhya Kapoor said that at some places the polling staff were served cheap food without their consent, and their food allowance ( ₹300) was also deducted.
Acting on the complaint of an assistant presiding officer (APrO) highlighting discrepancy in distribution of election duty allowance in different constituencies, deputy commissioner-cum-district election officer Varinder Kumar Sharma sought written replies from all returning officers.
Alleging bungling of funds meant for lunch and dinner of the election staff, Ludhiana South APrO Sandhya Kapoor said that at some places the polling staff were served cheap food without their consent, and their food allowance ( ₹300) was also deducted.
“The staff should have been given a choice between eating the food served at their polling stations, or ordering in from food joints. In case, someone did not want to have the food served at the polling station, their allowance should not be deducted. Moreover, the DC should check whether a few returning officers arranged food from religious places, and if it was so why the staff’s food allowance was deducted.”
As per Sharma’s orders dated February 16, all returning officers (ROs) were directed to transfer the dues into the accounts of presiding officers, polling officers, assistant presiding officers, micro observers and supervisors. While presiding officers (PrOs) were to get ₹2,400, APrOs and the polling officers were to get ₹1,800. The micro-observers and supervisors were to pay ₹1,150 and ₹1,500, respectively.
Kapoor, in her complaint, submitted that reserved election staff as per the orders of DC was also supposed to get the same allowance. She claimed that returning officers in Samrala and Ludhiana West (PAU School) had paid ₹1,800 to the staff and also served food, ROs in other constituencies had paid ₹1,500 to ₹1,650 allowance along with food, and ROs in a few constituencies, including Khanna, and Ludhiana East, are yet to pay allowance to the election staff.
Termining the election process,”picture perfect,” deputy commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma said, “Since I respect the spirit behind the complaint, an inquiry has been marked, and further course of action will be decided in case of any discrepancies”.
