While the general elections by a secret ballot with the help of electronic voting machines (EVMs) are underway across the nation, the All India Railwaymen’s Federation (AIRF) has demanded the Ministry of Railways and the Railway Board (RB) to conduct the secret ballot election for recognition of trade unions and federations for the Indian Railways.
The secret ballot elections for recognition of the unions and federations in the Railways have become due after April 2019 with the completion of the six-year term. Although electoral rolls were published with the amendments thrice and draft modalities for conducting elections were also uploaded on the Railway Board’s site, no election has been conducted till date, said AIRF treasurer and SCR Mazdoor Union (SCRMU) Ch. Sankara Rao on May Day.
The AIRF’s centenary convention, which was held in New Delhi (April 23-25), had expressed its dismay at the “dillydallying” practice of the Railway Board on the issue and strongly demanded that elections be held for recognition of the unions and federations on the basis of the already circulated modalities to remove the “sense of uncertainty” among railwaymen, he said.
