Welfare of Polling Personnel on election duty - suggestions are welcome

There are 3840 booths in Nadia district in the forthcoming election to Loksabha 2009. One Presiding Officer (generally gazetted officers in the supervisory scale), three polling officer in each booth shall be appointed by DM & DEO, Nadia. Third polling officers are generally Group D employees. In addition micro-observers amongst central Govt employees may be posted at approximately 600 polling stations. In total around 20000 people may be deputed on poll duty at booths. Besides a large number of other personnel on duty shall be posted at sector, dispersal and receiving centres at SDO offices. While, necessary arrangements shall be made on following, felt need may be suggested for the consideration of authority :-

• Thorough trainings (two days) will be organised on holidays as far so that teachers are not called on working dates of educational institutions. Trainings shall commence from 18th to 20th April 2009 from 10.00 hrs to 13.00 hrs and 14.00 hrs to 17.00 hrs at nearest Sub-divisional HQ where the employee is posted. Letter of appointment may reach to their controlling authorities, declared as Sponsoring Authority Nodal Officer (SANO), within 15th April 2009. Exact date, time and venue can be noted from the letter to be served upon the employee. Second day of training shall be organised from 2nd to 3rd May 2009 at SDO HQ where the officer/ staff is posted.
• Employee asked to attend poll duty training must bring photographs duly pasted on the Identity Cards supplied with the appointment letter so that the ID is issued with the facsimile signature of DM & DEO. ID card is must as per ECI directive.
• Poll duty personnel will be picked up from the important places like bus stop, railway stations etc to reach DCRC on 6th May 2009 early morning. Route of the special buses, number, time etc shall be notified to them in second day of training. Similar arrangements for dropping near to residence/ home shall be made.
• Each personnel on election duty shall be asked to furnish the contact number of home/ person who may be approached in case of exigencies. This number can be collected during the training class.
• Police shall be tagged with the each polling party vehicle. Good condition vehicles shall be arranged.
• Essential medicines and water disinfectants shall be given to each polling party, sectors.
• Mid day meal cooks have been asked to prepare food for the polling party at the booth itself. List of cook and contact details shall be provided to the polling party.
• Fan, electricity, telephone, furniture, shed etc at each polling station is being verified and shall be provided as far as practicable.
• Medical teams and rest room shall be set up at each DCRC for reserve personnel and to take care of persons falling sick.

Every step is taken to make the duty of polling personnel as comfortable as possible. Help desks shall be opened at each DCRC for extending assistance to personnel on duty. Those who are sick/ infirm/ disabled and needs exemption of duty shall be allowed to do so.