Nagpur Election Officials Endure Marathon 72-Hour Duty Stretch
Election officials across Nagpur have pushed through an extraordinary marathon of work. For nearly 48 hours without a break, they distributed EVMs, set up polling booths, coordinated security, and managed the voting process. With counting scheduled for Friday, they face another full day of uninterrupted work. This brings their total duty stretch close to 72 continuous hours.
Sheer Endurance on Display
These officials operated with little sleep, minimal rest, and no time to recuperate. They ran on sheer endurance to ensure the democratic process continued without a single hitch. The continuous stretch began early Wednesday morning. Officials from various government departments reported at distribution centres to collect EVMs and election material.
A senior polling official involved in the process described the initial phase. "The process involved documentation, machine checks, and allocation of polling stations," he said. "This was followed by travel to assigned locations. Booth set-up, verification of equipment, and coordination with security personnel continued well into the evening. It effectively made it a full working day even before polling began. The entire operation felt never-ending."
Polling Day Adds to the Demand
Thursday's polling introduced another demanding phase. From early-morning mock polls to managing voter turnout throughout the day, polling staff, presiding officers, sector officers, and security personnel remained on duty. They worked without significant breaks.
After voting concluded, the exercise extended late into the night. Officials sealed the EVMs, transported them under armed escort, and deposited them in secure strong rooms. Round-the-clock security was immediately put in place at these locations.
No Buffer Before Counting
With no buffer day in between, officials were required to report again early Friday for counting preparations. The counting process itself involves multiple rounds, table-wise segregation, verification, and compilation of results. It is expected to continue throughout the entire day. This further stretches the already extended duty hours of the exhausted staff.
Senior officials highlighted a critical factor. The absence of a gap between polling and counting has made the current election one of the most taxing in recent memory.
"This is a continuous operation — distribution, polling, securing machines, and counting — all in one relentless flow," a senior officer explained. "Most officials have gotten minimal sleep since Wednesday morning."
The officer added that while basic arrangements like drinking water and refreshments were provided at various points, the intensity of the schedule left almost no room for proper rest.
Focus Remains Unwavering
Despite the overwhelming fatigue, officials stated their focus remained sharp. Their priority is ensuring accuracy, maintaining security, and adhering strictly to election protocols. This commitment will continue until the final round of counting is completed and the results are formally declared.
The dedication shown by Nagpur's election workforce underscores the immense effort required to uphold the integrity of the electoral process, even at great personal cost.
