LAKKI MARWAT, Aug 21: The District and Session Judge Lakki Anwar Ali Khan has taken serious notice of the absence of the female polling staff from the training programme, it was learnt here reliably.

Sources said on Sunday that as per directives of the Election Commission the local authorities concerned had arranged training programmes for the polling staff at Gandi Khankhel, Lakki city and Titterkhel where the returning officers at Gandi Khankhel and Lakki stations noticed the absence of a large number of female polling staff including presiding officers, assistant presiding officers and polling officers and apprised District and Session Judge who also holds the office of District Returning Officer about it.

“Most of the female presiding officers are lecturers at local girls colleges while the female polling officers have been appointed at various female polling stations from the schools and literacy department,” they said, adding that the District Returning Officer Anwar Ali Khan had asked the Executive District Officer of Schools and Literacy Department Lakki Mir Azam Khan and District Police Officer Sajid Ali Khan to ensure attendance of female polling staff at all costs.

The DRO Anwar Ali Khan has also directed the quarters concerned to prepare a detailed list of the absent polling staff so that disciplinary action could be initiated against them, sources continued.

Meanwhile, the training programmes held under the auspices of Election Commission at Gandi Khankhel and Lakki stations for the polling staff concluded here on Sunday.

Returning officers provided training to the polling staff and responded to a number of questions raised by the participants.

The Assistant Election Commissioner Mohammad Jamil was also present on the occasion while the District Returning Officer Anwar Ali Khan visited the training centres and expressed his satisfaction over the delivering of training to polling staff.

The DRO asked the polling staff to make all efforts to ensure that local body councils elections are held in a transparent and fair manner.

He also directed that the instructions issued by the Election Commission for the presiding officers, assistant presiding officers and other polling staff must be followed in letter and spirit.