Navi Mumbai Civic Staff Skips Election Training, Faces Legal Action

Nearly 20% of staff for the upcoming Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections have missed mandatory training sessions, leading to legal notices. Despite warnings from the Municipal Commissioner, absenteeism persists. Training includes EVM handling and is crucial given the multi-member ward voting system. Compliance is now improving post notices.

Nearly 20 per cent of staff scheduled for the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections on January 15 have skipped mandatory training, prompting legal notices from the civic administration, officials reported on Tuesday.

From the approximately 4,000 employees expected at the training, 782, equivalent to 19.55 per cent, failed to attend, according to a civic corporation spokesperson. Training began on January 1, conducted under the guidance of Municipal Commissioner and Election Officer Kailas Shinde.

In response, Shinde issued a stern warning, highlighting election duty as a 'national responsibility.' Absent employees received legal notices to report to their respective department's Returning Officer or face potential criminal charges if non-compliance continues. Notices boosted attendance significantly, the administration noted.

(With inputs from agencies.)