Madurai: An online assessment conducted by the Election Commission for polling booth officers (BOs) has triggered criticism after a question carried what participants called a “mocking” answer option.
According to officials assigned election duty, the test—held ahead of the Assembly election for BOs and BO-1, BO-2 and BO-3 staff—asked where an “address tag” should be attached. Among the four multiple-choice options was an answer that read: “on the presiding officer’s forehead.”
Teachers and government employees deputed for election work said they were taken aback by the inclusion of such an option in an official assessment. They noted that the online test was meant to gauge how well trainees had understood procedures explained during election training sessions.
They added that the questionnaire included 15 items, including questions on the mock poll conducted early on polling day and the prescribed method of sealing the ballot unit, control unit and VVPAT after the mock poll. Those seals are to be opened only during counting on May 4, they said, and argued that the “forehead” option—appearing in both English and Tamil—made the exercise look unserious.
