The administration has announced that if the employees fail to attend the training programme by October 31 or fail to provide a valid reason for their absence, the administration will lodge an FIR against them.

The FIR will be lodged under the Representation of People’s Act for denying to perform duties.

The district administration is conducting a training programme from October 26 to 31 for 300 employees from various departments who have been selected for election duty. The Lucknow (west) Assembly seat goes to polls on November 7.

In the first two days of the programme, around 150 employees were absent. On Monday, 222 employees were absent from the training — 80 presiding officers, 57 first election officers and 85 second and third election officers. Today, around 30 per cent of the absentees came for training at the CMS degree college at Kanpur Road.

ADM (Finance and Revenue) and in-charge (personnel) R K Pandey, on instructions from District Magistrate Amit Kumar Ghosh, announced that if the employees do not report by October 31, an FIR will be lodged against them.

“We had sent the letters to all the departments, listing the names of the employees who would be sent for duties. Since most of them appeared on the second day citing that they received the orders late, we are now giving them time till October 31,” said Pandey.

According to Pandey, if the employees continue to stay away from the training without any valid reason, the administration will lodge an FIR against them and ask their department to suspend them for negligence of duty.

The matter has already been brought to the notice of the Election Commission of India through ECI Observer K Shiv Prasad, said Pandey.

EC sure of smooth going in polls

THE Election Commission today said it will ensure free and fair elections for all the 11 Assembly and one Lok Sabha seats, which are going to polls on November 7.

Vinod Jutshi, Deputy Election Commissioner and in-charge of UP, was in Lucknow today to review the poll preparations. The EC official expressed satisfaction on the poll preparations and the security arrangements.

Central Paramilitary forces and the state police will be deployed on the polling day for maintaining law and order and ensuring free and fair elections.

The EC officials met the district magistrates/ returning officers, SSP and DIGs of the districts/range where the by-polls are going to take place. Several political parties have filed complaints which are being looked into by the poll panel, said an EC official.