School headmaster takes up the fight
SHILLONG: The headmaster of Mid Changdong Nongsyllei Secondary School, Lawbyrtun Fairson K Jana has decided to take on the State Election department over the non-payment of dues to the poll personnel who were assigned with the election duties during the Assembly elections in February last.
Jana has taken up the mantle to fight for those people who were assigned election duties after the RTI, which he had filed with the Sub-Divisional Officer Mairang Sub Division, revealed that the SDO did not pay the full amount to the polling officers.
As per the rate approved by the Election Commission, he said the first polling officer is supposed to receive Rs 250 per day, the second and third polling officers were supposed to get Rs 175 per day and fourth polling officer is supposed to get Rs 100 per day.
“In accordance with the directive of the poll panel, the polling officers were supposed to receive payment for eight days. But the RTI documents revealed that the polling officers under Mairang Sub Division were given payment for only four days,” the school headmaster said.
The SDO had deducted a total amount of Rs 3,600 which is due to the four polling officers in each polling station, he said adding that it was totally illegal.
Following the RTI revelation, the SDO of Mairang Sub Division issued a notification on November 11 asking all the polling officers of the 102 polling stations to collect the pending amount. “I have now filed an RTI to know if money was paid to the polling officers who were assigned duties in the different constituencies of Ri Bhoi and East Khasi Hills,” Jana said while indicating that he would continue his fight to ensure that all polling officers who have done their election duties to get their payment as per the Election Commission directive.