New Delhi: Teachers in Delhi continue to be roped in for duties related to Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls during school hours, educators complain, despite clear directions that poll-related work should not disrupt teaching in classes.
A notice issued by electoral registration authorities in Seelampur directed all booth level officer (BLO) supervisors to attend a meeting at 11am this Monday, which teachers said clashed with school hours. The teachers said the timing meant those of them serving as BLO supervisors had to leave their schools during teaching hours. Classes assigned to that teacher have to be taken by someone else,” said a govt school teacher, adding that more such meetings are scheduled. “We understand that electoral work has to be completed, but meetings and other duties should be scheduled after school hours if the intention is to ensure that teaching is not affected,” the teacher said. Citing Election Commission (EC) instructions, it said BLO duties should be assigned during school holidays, non-teaching hours and off days so as to avoid any loss of academic work and should be planned in a manner that did not affect the functioning of their parent department.
“Even if the meeting lasts for a few hours, a teacher will take time travelling to and from the venue. In July, the office of Delhi’s chief electoral officer directed district election officers to ensure that teachers were not deployed full-time as BLOs. The issue reached Delhi High Court as well. During the hearing of a PIL challenging their large-scale deployment for SIR work, EC maintained that teachers were being engaged for election-related duties only after school hours and on holidays or non-teaching days.
The issue had surfaced during earlier stages of SIR as well.