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Ludhiana: AUCT raises concern over Ad-hoc teachers put on poll duty
Principal of Ludhiana’s Arya College, Suksham Ahluwalia, said there were no instructions to exclude ad-hoc staff, and had they been directed otherwise, they would have complied
The Association of United College Teachers (AUCT), Punjab and Chandigarh, has filed a complaint with the deputy commissioner (DC), alleging that ad-hoc teachers from Arya College were assigned election duties during the recent Panchayat elections in Punjab.
AUCT has expressed concern, stating that assigning critical election duties to temporary staff violates constitutional provisions. The union demands accountability from the college administration which recommended these teachers for performing the task.
Tarun Ghai, a spokesperson for AUCT, highlighted the risks involved. “If an incident occurs at a polling booth where the ad-hoc staff is on duty, who will be held responsible? Colleges recommending such teachers are misrepresenting facts, which jeopardises the fairness of the election process,” he said.
Jaspal Singh, general secretary of AUCT, said they acted swiftly upon learning about the issue. “We sent a formal complaint on Saturday. While some teachers managed to get their duties cancelled before the elections, which were scheduled for October 18, others had to serve. Some of these teachers have only been with the college for a few months. We have requested immediate and strict action to prevent this from happening again.”
Principal of Arya College, Suksham Ahluwalia, defended the college’s actions, stating, “There were no instructions to exclude ad-hoc staff. We have always listed both regular and temporary teachers, clearly mentioning their status along with their pay structure. Had we been directed otherwise, we would have complied.”
Additional deputy commissioner (rural development) Harjinder Singh said, “I will review the guidelines and look into the matter.”
