Ludhiana schoolkids on poll duty amid heatwave

Punjab education minister Harjot Singh Bains said, “I will look into the matter and take action, if needed, against the authorities concerned within two days”

Despite the state government’s declaration of school holidays due to a severe heatwave, several government schools have allegedly assigned students from classes 7 to 9 on election duties. The Election Commission had also issued instructions to only deploy National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers, National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets and students aged above 18 for poll-related tasks.

The EC had directed that only NCC and NSS students be deployed on poll duties. (HT)

Deputy commissioner Sakshi Sahwney, who also serves as the cum district election officer, said, “We have directed all schools to deploy only NSS and NCC students to assist voters. I have instructed the assistant returning officers concerned to ensure that any younger students are sent home as they are not allowed to work amid this heatwave.”

Punjab education minister Harjot Singh Bains said, “I will look into the matter and take action, if needed, against the authorities concerned within two days”.

During visits to polling stations, school students, many of them from classes 7 to 9, were seen serving water to voters. Students from Class 9 at Government Senior Secondary School, Alamgir, were also issued volunteer passes and had been on duty since morning. A student working at a polling booth, requesting anonymity, said, “Our teacher told us to come to school for election duty, serving sweet water and checking voter cards.”

At least eight students from Class 10 from Government Senior Secondary School, Gill village, were making sweet water and a few of them were deployed near the booth. A student of the school, requesting anonymity, said, “We are not from NCC or NSS. We were directed by school authorities to perform election duty and wear school dress.”

Students from Class 7 at Government High School, Housing Board, Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar, were also seen performing poll-related tasks. These students were issued passes by the assistant returning officer.

A block-level officer at Government High School, Housing Board, requesting anonymity, said, “We were directed to appoint these students and have no further information.”