Poll throws cold water on vacation plans

“One man’s meat is another man’s poison”, goes a proverb. Similarly, in Telugu, they say: ‘Yenki pelli Subbu chavu kochhindi’ (meaning, Yenki’s marriage resulted in Subbi’s death). Some of the bureaucrats in Telangana are facing a like situation. As is their wont, some of the babus had finalized their family vacation plans, whether abroad or within India, taking advantage of the summer holidays. But the upcoming General Election has thrown cold water on their plans. Polling will be held in Telangana on 13th May. In view of the shortage of staff to help conduct the Lok Sabha elections, the state government has cancelled long-term leaves as well as permissions to go abroad granted previously to some of the bureaucrats. They have been asked to report to the government and be available for election duties. To sugar-coat the bitter pill, the government has attributed its decision to the Election Commission’s directives.