Most of the government officials assigned election duty; public services on hold

Bengaluru: Most of the government officers and staff in various departments of the state government are busy in the election work. As a result, public services from Gram Panchayat to Zilla Panchayat have been left behind. A situation has arisen where people come and go back to the office for various tasks.

Officials from all the district administrations of the state are training the various departments to face the assembly elections smoothly. That's how all officers are going for training. This is affecting almost all public services except hospitals.

After the second week of March, the people's representatives and officials, who had hurriedly performed Bhumi Puja for many works, have forgotten about the election schedule after the second week of March. So far no work has started on the land of Bhumi Puja. The works which have been started are progressing at a snail's pace.

The number of public is decreasing day by day in the powerhouse of the districts, the district administration building, taluk centers, sub-registration offices, gram panchayats. In the background that most of the officers of the district level are performing their duty as election officers, the privileges that should be available to the public have been neglected but there is no one who asks for them.

The public who are visiting the taluk office of the city for rectification of Pahani, survey and other work are getting a ready answer from the staff there that the officials are assigned in the election work and will not be available until the election is over.

In order that the public should not fight with the officers and staff during the election, a name board has been installed near the doors of all the departments of the Taluk office asking the public to cooperate as the officers and staff are busy with the election work. Seeing this, the public has to go back.

It is the common opinion of the public that the work of the public in the taluk office is delayed for months and years. Now, as the officials are busy with the election work, no work is being done and it has created dissatisfaction among the public.

If the Election Commission assigns officials from various departments for every election, the timely services provided by the government to the public will be delayed. Public opinion is that as an alternative to this, the Election Commission should hire its own cadre of officers and staff.