Ten per cent of expected cadets volunteer for poll duty

CHANDIGARH, Aug 30: While the NCC authorities had expected to muster around 1,000 cadets for deployment during the forthcoming elections,...

CHANDIGARH, Aug 30: While the NCC authorities had expected to muster around 1,000 cadets for deployment during the forthcoming elections, only 100-odd cadets have turned up for the job.

Lack of enthusiasm amongst the cadets and their parents is stated to be one reason. However, NCC officers deny this and explain that as the enrolment process was delayed by late declaration of 1998-99 session results, cadet numbers are still low.

The NCC cadets are being deployed on election duty for the first time following the instructions from the Election Commission. According to Chandigarh Police officials, they have received a list of about a 100 cadets for election duty.

quot;Originally, the NCC officers said they would provide 1,000 cadets; then they said they expected 500 but it has come down to 100 which has defeated the very purpose of deputing the cadets,quot; says a police official, adding that the authorised strength of NCC cadets in the city is about 2,000.

Says UT Senior Superintendent of Police C.S.R. Reddy: quot;Maybe not many cadets have come forward as it is the first time. We did not ask the NCC officials why they are giving us so few cadets, but hopefully the number will improve next time.quot;

NCC Deputy Director General Brig R.K. Mehra, when contacted, said that he was still hopeful of mustering 300 cadets. He attributes the paucity of cadets for poll duties to quot;shortage of timequot;. quot;The students are still taking admissions and have not yet enrolled in the NCC. Cadets have to re-enroll each session which they can do only after taking admission in their respective institutes. There are some procedural hassles, otherwise there has been an overwhelming response from cadets for deployment,quot; he says.

The NCC cadets will be deployed only at 40 quot;peaceful and urbanquot; booths in the northern sectors. Their duties include guiding voters and maintaining queues.