Hoshiarpur - District Election Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner Komal Mittal has said that elections are the main pillar of democracy and doing duty in elections is a proud act of participating in strengthening the democracy of our great country. Therefore, the employees whose duty is involved in the selection process should perform this duty diligently, honestly and impartially as a part of their government job and should not approach their office to deduct duty.
   He said that during the first rehearsal of the polling staff yesterday, around 350 employees were found absent in the entire district. He said that show cause notices are being issued to these employees. They have instructed the absent employees to report immediately to their respective AROs. He said that women polling workers are being posted in their home constituencies and pregnant women have already been exempted from duty. He said that a medical team has been formed under the leadership of a civil surgeon for exemption from duty on the medical ground.
   He said that negligence in election duty is considered a serious lapse in the service rules of the employee, so no one should be absent from election duty. He said that the duty of any employee will not be cut under any circumstances. He said that if any employee is found neglecting his duty, FIR under Section 134 and departmental rules will be conducted against him.