KOZHIKODE: The Election Commission has exempted treasury officials from duty for the local body elections on November 2 and 5.
Election Commission secretary P. Geetha said in an order that no staff member of the treasury department in any districts should be posted for election duty to ensure the smooth work of the department ahead of the financial transactions of the previous month.
November 1 is the date for the salary distribution for the staff of various government offices, which is a Sunday. Hence the salary distribution procedures will have to be postponed to November 2 and the following days when the voting takes place.
To avoid shortage of staff at the treasury department during these days, the commission has decided to exempt them from the election duty, said Ms Geetha.
Treasury director J.C. Leela had sought such exemption. Even during the previous elections, similar requests were made, but there was no positive response.
This is for the first time that treasury staff have been exempted from poll duty.
