Bhopal: About 200 officials who attended Election Commission-sponsored training and test programme related to conducting polls in Madhya Pradesh are still awaiting results.
The test, held in three phases between June 12-14, 18-20 and 27-29 here, was organized to check level of preparedness of electoral officers, returning officers and assistant returning officers from 51 districts of the state, who are responsible for conducting election, and to raise their awareness on different matters related to electoral process.
"The information related to the result of test has not been received from the office of Chief Electoral officer of MP," said a note sheet of RCVP Noronha Academy of Administration, which was made available to activist Ajay Dubey in response to his query exercising his Right to Information.
Election Commission has given Rs 29 lakh to the Academy for conducting the test for the officials in the poll-bound state.
Questions on Representation of the People Act, 1950 and on article of Constitution under which the Election Commission of India has been founded were asked to the participants.
Some of the participants have expressed their displeasure over the use of English language in notes related to the training programme of election process provided to them among other and suggested improvements in quality of foods and condition of accommodation provided to them, the reply says.
There was no facility for giving food to officials of Jain community. They should get food before sun set and without onion and garlic, one of the participants said in his response on the feedback, a copy of which was accessed by Dubey under the RTI Act.
"Provide it in Hindi," was the response of another participant when asked to give feedback on the training material provided to him.
Three officials-- A K Bisaria, Gopa Pandey and Bina Bhanupriya-- from RCVP Noronha Academy of Administration were sent to attend training by Election Commission in New Delhi and act as nodal officer to conduct the similar programme in Bhopal.
However, one of them, Pandey had come back from the training mid way, the RTI reply says.
"There has been misuse of public money in conduct of this training programme as the officials were not sincere. It puts question mark on the preparation of fair and free elections. Moreover, the test results are not yet declared," Dubey said.
The Assembly Election in Madhya Pradesh is due in November.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, August 25, 2013, 12:51
