While the general perception says that election duty is a tedious task that mentally and physically exhausts every government or private sector employee but a letter penned by two polling staff for their Returning Officer might change this perception. The duo appreciated Mumbadevi RO’s management and administration and said that the 2024 Assembly Election will always remain a part of their happy memory.
On Wednesday, over 6.30 crore electors in Maharashtra casted their votes for the assembly elections. This was possible because of around 7 Lakh polling staff that were on duty on the polling day serving different roles. The election process is often referred to as a tiring and exhausting job for government servants and teachers who are specially designated at polling booths.
However, two Presiding Officers (PrO) penned a letter to their Returning Officer after the polling day and the letter is all appreciation of their senior and the election process. Rashmi Lee George, who is attached to the St. Xavier’s College and Raji Babu, working with LIC India, wrote a letter to Slum Rehabilitation Authority’s Deputy Collector Abhijeet Bhande Patil, who was serving as the Returning Officer for Mumbadevi constituency.
In the letter, the PrO duo appreciated the RO’s efficiency and competency to ensure a peaceful transfer of EVM and booklets, calling it a textbook example of excellent management and administration. They said that this was the first time that they had left the submission centre with joy and happiness, instead of bitterness and self pity, for being a part of a well-executed management feat.
The duo said also mentioned that nobody likes to volunteer for election duty. “When you get the order, you comply, swallow all the experiences, go back home praying that for the next five years you are safe.” They equated submission of materials with a battlefield where all polling officers are on war against each other to reach the submission table first.
“At the submission centre, in the night, you would find people standing with burning candles and red wax to re-seal the unsealed packets and not to mention the long queues of clueless PROs and their equally battle-worn, sleep-deprived, starving team members who are so weary to even speak, perhaps wondering if their kidneys and bladders would ever be the same again because they have not visited the restroom for over 20 hours,” read the letter.
The duo said that the experience in this election was different as for the first time, an RO took the lead to answer queries at all times and was available at their fingertips, fuelling renewed confidence and minimal confusion. They appreciated Patil for his clear instructions, goal-oriented approach and firmness.
“Sir, you made our experience of polling an unforgettable one for how well-organized it was. This will be a yardstick with which polling parties will hereafter measure their polling experience. I don’t have a memory of any RO so far but you will always remain a part of my happy memory,” read the letter.
