‘Ailing teachers should be exempted from poll duty’

When Sawale’s 15-year-old daughter approached an Election Commission official for him to be exempted from work, she was asked to fill in for him. She was on election duty the day her father died in hospital and was also paid for her work.

“The death of two teachers after they collapsed while they were on election duty was very unfortunate. We have taken up this issue with the EC several times now. However as they face staff shortage and do not have staff of their own they requisite staff from schools and colleges. However we have written to the EC asking them to exempt those teachers who are above 50 years of age, who are suffering from heart ailments and terminal illness. People who are above 50 years of age and suffering from such diseases will not be able to cope up with the field work under election duty,” said Anil Bornare, President of Maharashtra Rajya Shikshak Parishad.

Bornare added, “We have also contacted out teachers and their families to immediately report any misconduct and misbehaviour by election commission officials.”

“Election Commission duty involves full-time work and even field work during elections and for the rest of the year, when rolls are revised. The EC must hire their own staff instead of relying on those who work full-time in other professions such as teaching. They can even hire government officials, teachers and principals who are retired. Infact we have decided to write to EC asking them not to have elections anywhere in the country during exam seasons as this has been hampering the academic circles,” said Prashant Redij, convenor of Maharashtra State Secondary and Higher Secondary School Principals’ Association (MSSHSSPA).

R A Rajput, member of Thane district principal association said, “ We have been taking up this issue of exempting teachers from election duties over the past few years. We have now approached EC asking for an exemption to at least those teachers who are ill.”

A senior election department official said they would be following the same rule as earlier for those who are ill and need exemption from election duties. “As per the rule, the school or college heads must send the names of teachers who are ill and cannot report for election duty. After verifying if the cases are genuine we do exempt them. The death sof the two teachers last election season was sudden and unfortunate. It is the schools which must send us names of teachers so that we can consider them for exemption,” said the official.

dipti.singh@expressindia.com