The Election Commission, which is actively campaigning to encourage voting, may deprive around 250 bank officers of their right to vote during the parliamentary elections.
According to sources, the officers were asked to participate in a training organised for polling officials at National College, Jayanagar, on Tuesday.
The district electoral officer allegedly told them that provisions were not made to provide them postal ballot facilities as their services were being utilised due to an emergency. He also warned the officers of stringent action if they failed to turn up for the duty, sources said.
One of the bank officials who attended the training said: “When one officer asked if we would be given the postal ballot option as we would be on election duty, they told us that it is highly unlikely. The list of employees to be deputed on poll duty was prepared long ago and the postal ballot facility was extended only to them.”
More than 200 employees from various banks, including Union Bank and UCO Bank, attended the training, the officer said.
“We feel as if we are being deprived of the basic right in a democracy,” the official lamented.
Chief Electoral Officer Anil Kumar Jha said postal ballot facility will be extended to everyone on election duty.
“Usually, the district electoral officers are in-charge of conducting the election training programmes. In Bangalore, some Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike officials would have conducted the training,” he added.