Sitting inconspicuously with the delegates in the hall where returning officer was to announce the results of Directors’ elections Dr U S Awasthi, IFFCO Managing Director looked relieved and happy.
When this correspondent asked him on election he could not contain his feelings and said “see this is called election”. True, the Iffco had made elaborate arrangements for a free and fair election and the CCTV strewn around the building bore testimony to this.
The voters were able to monitor everything right from casting vote to counting- all was there on TV sets around which large number of people had gathered to have a feel of the excitement.
A retired judge and a senior advocate of the Supreme Court Mr R K Agrawal who was appointed returning officer was alert lest anything should go wrong. The executive head Mr Awasthi was just as eager as ordinary delegates awaiting the announcement of results. .
The voter list which was voluminous had photographs against all names to circumvent the instances of fake identity. Dr Awasthi thanked his team profusely including Niramal Kumar and Dr G N Saxena for overseeing the proceedings so well. He himself, it is said ,took great interest and ensured everything goes by the rule-book. .
He had been spending several hours with us everyday for the past five months for the great event, Dr Saxena told this correspondent in the presence of Nirmal Kumar, election-in-charge.