Election mood grips Indian Railways
Around 14 lakh railway employees across India will cast their votes in a 3-day long election to decide the leaders of their trade unions.
By Indra Bhadra, TNN |
MUMBAI: For the first time in its 154-year history, the Indian Railways is gripped by an election mood. Around 14 lakh railway employees across the country would cast their votes in three-day long election to decide the leaders of their trade unions.
Employees from 65 divisions of 16 zones are taking part in this process that began on Monday. As directed by the Supreme Court, the union leaders will be elected through secret ballot. The officer’s association and the RPF (Railway Protection Force) are not taking part in the election. Only class III and IV employees will cast their votes.
Three major trade unions — the Men’s Congress Union, backed by the Congress, Left-supported National Railway Mazdoor Union and the Bharatiya Railway Mazdoor Sangh, an arm of the RSS — are fighting a battle of supremacy. So far, the Rail Bhavan had recongnised only the first two unions. But dispute began when BRMS asked for recognition. It approached the Madras High Court in 2006 and later moved the Supreme Court after the railway ministry rejected its claim.
The SC ruled that contending unions must secure minimum 35% of valid votes to be recognised by the management. This paved the way for the election.
The catch, however, is that all the three contenders cannot get that magic figure. The election has ensured that one of the three claimants will face an axe.
Like any other election, this one too is not far from the surprises. The process has revealed that the unions’ claim of their strength is far from reality. The total number or railway employees is around 14 lakh while the unions claim to have enrolled more than 22 lakh employees.
Chief Personnel Officer of each zone is working as chief electoral officer.
Employees from 65 divisions of 16 zones are taking part in this process that began on Monday. As directed by the Supreme Court, the union leaders will be elected through secret ballot. The officer’s association and the RPF (Railway Protection Force) are not taking part in the election. Only class III and IV employees will cast their votes.
Three major trade unions — the Men’s Congress Union, backed by the Congress, Left-supported National Railway Mazdoor Union and the Bharatiya Railway Mazdoor Sangh, an arm of the RSS — are fighting a battle of supremacy. So far, the Rail Bhavan had recongnised only the first two unions. But dispute began when BRMS asked for recognition. It approached the Madras High Court in 2006 and later moved the Supreme Court after the railway ministry rejected its claim.
The SC ruled that contending unions must secure minimum 35% of valid votes to be recognised by the management. This paved the way for the election.
The catch, however, is that all the three contenders cannot get that magic figure. The election has ensured that one of the three claimants will face an axe.
Like any other election, this one too is not far from the surprises. The process has revealed that the unions’ claim of their strength is far from reality. The total number or railway employees is around 14 lakh while the unions claim to have enrolled more than 22 lakh employees.
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Chief Personnel Officer of each zone is working as chief electoral officer.
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