VVPAT machine reported missing in Assam's Udalgiri
Guwahati, Mar 29: A VVPAT machine was reported missing in Assam's Udalguri district on Friday, an official statement said.
The Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machine could not be found during assembly-wise segregation after the first randomisation, it said.
A joint electoral officer was deputed to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the matter, the statement issued by the Chief Electoral Officer said.
After first-level checking of EVMs and VVPATs, the machines that were found to be working were kept in a strong room in the presence of representatives of political parties, the statement said.
"The strong room has 24x7 CCTV coverage and armed security, and there is no question of any missing unit, due to the stringent storage and security protocol with the participation of the political parties at every stage," it said, after the preliminary inquiry.
The missing VVPAT might have been inadvertently shifted to the Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) factory along with units that were found non-functional during first-level checking, the statement said.
The matter has been taken up with the ECIL authorities, it added.
Strict action will be taken if any dereliction of duty is found on the part of district officers concerned, the statement said.
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
