Indore: Election Commission deploying educational institutions teachers and officers for poll duty is routine affair. But perhaps for the first time, the Commission has roped a honcho of higher education regulator into election work. University Grants Commission (UGC) secretary Rajnish Jain has been directed to show up at Indore district election office for undergoing poll training for upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
“The UGC secretary is also a faculty with Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya and in that capacity he has been deployed in the election duty,” sources said. As per them, the district election office fed names of all government officials in software and it randomly select them for election duty. “Jain’s name was in the software as a faculty with DAVV so he was randomly picked up for the poll duty,” election commission sources said.
DAVV vice chancellor Dr Narendra Dhakad, who is cross with district election office for deploying examination department employees also in poll duty thus jeopardizing preparation for upcoming exams, wrote to the election office stating that Jain could not be relieved for poll duty as he is serving as UGC secretary in New Delhi. When contacted, Jain said that he was also surprised to listen that he was also deployed in poll duty. “I know that is by mistake and not intentional. I was told that the software at Indore election office was not updated and it
COMPLAINT FILED WITH EC AGAINST UGC
A complaint has been filed with election commission by former executive council member of RGPV Ajay Chordia against UGC for violating model code of conduct in force for Lok Sabha elections. In his complaint, Chordia stated that the official website of UGC is showing a picture of an event “Pariksha Pe Charcha 2.0- Pariksha Ki Baat PM Ke Saath” held on January 29. The picture features Prime Minister Narendra Modi and some school kids. Chordia said that the picture may lead young voter students and others to vote for a particular party as large number of students, academics and others access the UGC website daily.
