AP polling staff demand leave from work on May 14

VIJAYAWADA: The AP Employees Joint Action Committee has urged the Election Commission to grant leave to polling staff on May 14, citing extended work hours on election day (May 13).

In a representation submitted to chief electoral officer (CEO) and ex-officio principal secretary to the government Mukesh Kumar Meena, the employees JAC pointed out the Telangana CEO has already sanctioned leaves to polling officers (presiding officers and assistant presiding officers) on May 14.

Employees drafted for poll duties will start work at 8 am on May 12 when they will receive election material at distribution centres. They will have to discharge duties till completion of the polling process, followed by handing over of the electronic voting machines and other election materials at reception centres, which may go on till as late as the early hours of May 14, said JAC leaders Bopparaju Venkateswarlu and Palisetti Damodara Rao.

These extended work hours would make the employees tired and so there is a need to consider their absence on May 14 as ‘on duty’ special casual leave, the JAC leaders said.