Lack of training results in bungling

MADURAI: Lack of proper training to government staff on poll duty resulted in hiccups and undue delay in casting of votes by the public in the first phase of the local body polls, on Monday.
In some villages, voting prolonged up to 10pm forcing the public to wait in queues, till then. In a major bungling, voters in a particular ward were issued ballot papers meant for another ward in Boothakudi in Madurai west union.The villagers were casting their votes with the wrong ballot papers till 1pm when a candidate spotted the blunder and informed the poll staff who blamed their higher ups for not according them proper poll training. Later, repolling was conducted in both the wards.
"Even after I pointed out the bungling, the officials were adamant that they were right. Only after we complained in the collectorate, re-polling was held," A Maniarasu the VCK candidate who noticed the goof-up said.
A senior election official admitted that there were minor slip ups in the polling and said that they would be eliminated in the second phase of the polls, on Wednesday.
In several villages of Madurai district, election suffered glitches and prolonged till 9pm due to confusion in issuing ballot papers and streamlining of voters who had to cast four votes - ward member, panchayat president, panchayat union councillor and district panchayat councillor.
At Boothakudi village, three candidates each contested in wards three and five. The poll officials had allotted cot, comb and key symbols were to two candidates - one from each ward. The ballot papers meant for ward number three were given to voters in ward number five and vice versa. The villagers commenced casting their votes with the wrong ballot papers till one p.m. when the blunder was noticed by A Maniarasu, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi candidate for panchayat union councillor. Later, repolling was conducted in both the wards. Even after I pointed out the bungling the officials were adamant that they were right. Only after we complained in the collectorate, repelling was held,'' Maniarasu said.
Across Madurai district, polling in Thamotharanpatti, Arambanur, Thinnaadupu, Pamban Saminagar, Thiruvathavur, Thopalampatti and other panchyats was delayed. Villagers had to wait for more than three hours in queue to cast their votes.
An election official said that the district administration had deployed employees from revenue and developments sections and school teachers for the local body elections. More than 8,000 employees were deployed for first phase of election. "However, they were not given adequate training that required to streamline voters as they had to cast four votes, all with ballot papers in rural areas. Many staff on poll duty were themselves confounded on Monday morning when voters bombarded them with queries," said the official.
The district administration had in fact organised training camps on three days to conduct the polls where they were trained about handling crisis like booth capturing, violence as well as casting of votes. But poll staff felt that the three day training was inadequate and even informed their plight to their senior officials.