More than 90 per cent of state government employees, who were requisitioned as polling officers, attended the first training programme in south Calcutta on Wednesday with the high turnout coming as a surprise as a good number of officials selected for election duties generally tend to seek exemption.

Usually, 20 to 25 per cent employees seek exemption from poll duty citing various reasons even before the first training programme. District administration officials face a lot of trouble to engage the required number of polling officers at booths because of truancy.

“But it is a relief that applications seeking exemption from poll duty are much lesser this time compared to previous years. About 10 per cent of the employees who have already been requisitioned sought exemption citing serious health conditions, which we will consider,” said a district magistrate.

The development is considered significant in the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic that has necessitated more polling officers to conduct the election process this year.

“The number of booths has gone up to 1.01 lakh this year from 78,000-odd. Each booth requires four polling officers. And we have to keep 20 per cent polling officers in reserve considering the Covid-19 situation. A total of 5 lakh employees would be required this year,” said a source.

Getting 5 lakh from a pool of 8 lakh employees in state government offices and state-aided institutions is itself not an easy task, sources said.

Against this backdrop, the high turnout for training is a welcome relief, said a senior official.

The sources said the tough stance of the Election Commission ahead of the polls might have created panic among a section of employees, who usually want to avoid poll duties in the past.

“From the very beginning, the poll panel has made it clear that if any of the government employees is charged with negligence, he or she would have to face a stern action. In addition to this, the way the state government has transferred top officials, including district magistrates, ahead of the polls, common employees might have thought that they would not be spared too if they cite any false reason to avoid poll duty,” said a source.

The Union health ministry had directed all five poll-bound states, including Bengal, to administer Covid-19 vaccine to polling officers.

The Bengal government has already asked district authorities to prepare a database of polling officers, who would be administered vaccines ahead of the polls.

According to the sources, the government has decided to run special camps for the polling officers during the second phase of vaccination, which is likely to start in the last week of February.

The vaccination for polling officers is optional as any official can skip the vaccination.

“This is an initiative to safeguard the polling officials. If anybody wants to skip this, he or she can by giving an undertaking to the authorities concerned…. The offer of vaccination may have also increased interest in logging in for poll duty,” said an official.