Chaos at few districts: Election duty officials left hungry

Bengaluru: On the eve of polling day, several election assemble centres across the State from where election officials, EVMs, VVPAT units and other election-related were sent to polling booths experienced chaos as several election officials were left without food and water.

In Hubballi, election officials demanded food and water, and complained that they were forced to stay hungry till beyond noon.

Some of the Government employees expressed their anger at senior officials, including Returning Officer Ibrahim Maigur. “We are not beggars. Considering that most of the employees deployed for election duty were aged over 40, authorities should have provided water and food. Several of us suffer from diabetes and hypertension,” an official on poll duty said, and added that water had not been provided despite heat conditions prevailing in the region.

Situation was similar in several other centres, including the those in Vijayapura and Tumakuru, where arrangement for food and water for those arriving to these centres was found to be inadequate.