Rautahat, October 8

As many as 330 election staffers deployed during the third phase of local level elections in Rautahat today staged a demonstration in front of the Office of Chief Returning Officer in Gaur, demanding their allowance.

The staffers were deployed at 277 polling stations and 434 voting centres during the civic polls. Buddhi Raj Nepali, who was deployed at a voting centre of Gadhimai Municipality, said two weeks had passed but the concerned authority was least bothered about providing them their allowances.  “We resorted to demonstration after we did not get our remunerations despite our visiting the office time and again,” he added.

Irate staffers had taken accountant at the chief returning officer’s office Shekh Dauda under control for a while demanding release of the amount. They later released him on condition that he would take initiative for making payments after the chief returning officer Leknath Dhakal reports to work. Dhakal is out of the district on an official visit. Meanwhile, Dauda said the amount would be distributed after Dhakal’s decision.