Thane: As many as 2,128 of nearly 11,500 Thane Municipal Corporation employees deputed for election duty failed to attend the second round of mandatory training, raising concerns within the civic election department and prompting it to issue a final warning of criminal action against the defaulters.The first training session, held in the last week of Dec, saw poor attendance as many staff pre-booked year-end holidays, some were on leave ahead of retirement, while others cited health reasons. A second session conducted last week also drew a weak response. Despite show-cause notices, most employees failed to comply, forcing the administration to issue an urgent warning late Thursday to the staff.“Elections are an essential constitutional process, and it is mandatory for appointed staff to discharge their duties. Despite repeated instructions and notices, many violated the orders. We therefore initiated the process of registering criminal cases against 2,128 employees,” an official said.Following the warning, several employees reported for training on Friday—the final session ahead of polling next Thursday. An actual count of staff still failing to turn up for the training was awaited until late Friday.The training is crucial as staff at 2,013 polling stations must familiarise themselves with new procedures, ensure smooth operations, and be prepared to handle emergencies, officials said.
