2 min readSuratApr 23, 2026 04:42 AM ISTKamrej police inspector R B Gojiya said, “We have initiated action against the negligent officials as per the instructions of the election department officials.”Two civic officials in Surat who had refused to perform election-related duties reported to work on Wednesday after police issued warrants against them, officials said.With the civic elections only a few days away, the returning officer in Surat city, in a meeting, had tasked booth-level officers or BLOs with the door-to-door distribution of ballot slips in ward nos. 1 to 30.While a majority of BLOs attended the meeting and collected the ballot slips, two Surat Municipal Corporation employees, Rakesh Sorathiya and Girish Chaudhary, who were appointed as BLOs for the Varachha Assembly seat, parts 150 (Phoolpada 53) and 135 (Phoolpada 38), remained absent and didn’t comply with further instructions of senior officials.Sources said the special officer on election duty in Surat then wrote to Kamrej police station inspector R B Gojiya, stating that Sorathiya and Chaudhary, despite repeated intimation, did not appear before election department officials.Acting on the letter, Kamrej police on Tuesday issued warrants against them for negligence in poll duties. Fearing strict action by the police, Sorathiya and Chaudhary showed up at the election department office on Wednesday and collected ballot slips to be distributed in their allotted areas.Kamrej police inspector R B Gojiya said, “We have initiated action against the negligent officials as per the instructions of the election department officials… Both turned up at the election department office and got themselves engaged in election-related work.”Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:GujaratSuratAdvertisementLoading Recommendations...