I in this post would like to share my experience I had as a Presiding Officer(PRO) for the 2008 Assembly Elections. I got a surprise when I was told that I have been assigned the duty of a PRO. I kept on wondering that it was just the last year I had actually casted my first vote and now I am supposed to be a PRO.
To be frank I was quite happy with it because I hardly knew the responsibilities of a PRO:-) But it was then when I started enquiring I began feeling numb… My another problem was reading and writing Kannada.. I have done my schooling uptil 8th standard outside the state… So when I came to my native I had to learn from the scratch right from Aksharmala and that was a tough ask.. I studied kannada only for two years and was done with it… I have the notion of only simpler Kannada words.When I got to know that all the forms to be filled and the study material provided for the polling process is in Kannada I started to panic.. Everyone I had approached basically had nothing so exciting to say about a PRO’s role.. I was getting only negatives to hear.. One of the reasons to it could be people who were assigned this role before may not have had a good experience… Somewhere after hearing this I started to loose my confidence..
Me and my friend who also got this very same responsibility went to the district collector for the change of designation in the election duty…. When I spoke to her about assigning us some other role, this what she had to say “ I have assigned the job to engineers who are supposed to be responsible and I in no way will entertain the change of designation“.. Her words were a bang to my face… As I was coming out of her office I realized I had no obvious choice but to just go for it…
Then the series of training programs started… We had three rounds of training programs with hands on sessions as well… I started realizing how important my role is… PRO is a person who is totally responsible for the polling in a given constituency just as a project manager is responsible for the project completion.. I was getting familiar with the risks involved in it as well… I had met my team during the training program..
Then came THE DAY.. I was assigned Saukoor constituency in Byndoor… We had to go to Kundapur the day previous to polling to report and collect all the materials right from small tags to the ballot boxes…. We finally boarded our bus.. I had so many questions hovering in my mind… How is my team?? how will I fill in the forms?? Will the polling be a success???? I knew I had to wait for answers..
We reached our destination , a school where polling had to be conducted.. The locals were truly helpful… A very well known temple was adjacent to the school.. I knew somebody is there to help me out for sure… We were accommodated by the temple priest and I thank him and his family for the wonderful hospitality.. Will never forget the wonderful coffee he had prepared for all of us early in the morning…
Then came the much awaited day.. After taking the blessings of the Goddess we kick started the polling at sharp 7 in the morning.. It looked like a never exhausting queue… As I went out for a regular round to see how the queue looked like, I could hear people whispering “‘she is the PRO” and their eyes looking at me.. I was feeling the power then which went totally unrealized.. I had the authority today!!!!!
An altercation broke between two agents belonging to two different parties and it was duly sorted out by me and my team…Everything was going flawless….. We reached the end of the polling.. It was 5 pm.. Bang!!!!! the doors were shut down.. I had to seal the ballot boxes.. Meet local politicians.. put signatures on official documents and sign off…..
I would be totally doing an injustice if I don mention MY TEAM… The team comprised of Mr. Sanjeeva, Mr. B. Laxminarayana Rao, Mrs Celestine, Mr Harish, Mrs Vimala and two security guards.. It was a family working towards a common goal… My head just bows down in respect for Mr. Sanjeeva, a calm and composed person.. A humble and a truly down to earth man..I know how much I have troubled him for filling up the forms:-) I vow my team members a lot…
With a sense of satisfaction we all left the place again back to Kundapur and surrendered all the official documents with the ballot boxes.. We all departed in Udupi.. “I have learned a lots from u all” this was what I kept on silently telling to my team….. Job is just half done… My duty would be over once the results were out and I had to keep my fingers crossed.. After some days as the results were out I had finally the time to rejoice..
“ I have assigned the job to engineers who are supposed to be responsible and I in no way will entertain the change of designation“..I thank the DC for those words which made me face the challenge… I truly appreciate the way she works, the grace she has in herself and the way in which she handles tough situation…..
The journey of election duty was challenging and the results were fruitful…. This is one such instance which I recollect today and tell myself challenges makes you bring out the best in you!!!!!!!!
