Polytechnic disarray annoys candidates

UTTER CHAOS was witnessed at the district election office at the Polytechnic today when candidates for the local bodies poll had come for the appointment of election agents and verification of serial numbers on ballot papers.

Enraged over the mismanagement, the candidates along with their supporters shouted slogans against the election officials.

With the nomination, scrutiny and withdrawal of nomination papers coming to an end on Sunday, the election process shifted from the Kanpur Municipal Corporation (KMC) to the Polytechnic, here on Monday. 

Candidates had gone to the Polytechnic for completing formalities with regard to appointment of their election agents and for verifying their serial number in the ballot papers.

But to their dismay, none of the election officials present at the Polytechnic could extend any help.

With the control room at the KMC closing its office, which had opened at the start of the election process on October 5, candidates had a tough time in completing formalities. Lack of coordination between the KMC and the election office was the main reason behind the chaos and mismanagement.

Despite formal shifting of the election office to the Polytechnic and the election officials taking charge there, all files, legal documents, computers and information related to the candidates contesting the election could not be transferred from the KMC to the Polytechnic.

However, the KMC officials put the onus of shifting of the election office on the district administration. A senior KMC official pointed out that due to lack of vehicles, computers could not be transferred to the Polytechnic.

“The responsibility for transferring computers along with other documents lies with the district administration or the election officials and not with the KMC,” the official pointed out.

Rajesh Jaiswal of the CPI(M), contesting the election from Vijay Nagar ward number 26, had to make several rounds of the KMC and the Polytechnic to know his serial number in the ballot paper and for getting his election agent appointed. 

“With electioneering picking up, it is pertinent to point out the serial number in the ballot papers to the voters. Since morning, I have being trying to know my serial number but in vain,” stated Jaiswal.

He added, “After much pestering, the election officials at the Polytechnic told me to get the relevant information from the KMC. So after wasting my entire day at the Polytechnic, I was compelled to rush to the KMC but here also, no help has been forthcoming”.

Jaiswal’s case is not an isolated one. Mubarak Ali, also from the same party and contesting the election from ward number 76 had to make several rounds of the KMC and the Polytechnic. However, all his efforts to get his election agent appointed and to know his serial number in the ballot papers proved futile.

The CPI (M) and other political parties have decided to take up the matter with district magistrate Anurag Srivastav.