EC issues notices to pregnant, disabled, ill teachers for election duty

Election Commission issues show-cause notices to teachers unable to attend training due to health issues; Maharashtra State Shikshan Kranti Sanghatana moves HC

MUMBAI: The Election Commission (EC) has issued show-cause notices to teachers who were unable to attend election training workshops on account of being disabled, suffering from chronic diseases like cancer, being pregnant or lactating mothers or nearing retirement. The Maharashtra State Shikshan Kranti Sanghatana (MSSKS) has approached the Bombay high court against this action.

The ECI also warned parties against the use of malicious language or statements offending decency and morality (Arvind Yadav/HT File Photo)

A teacher from the Palghar with a walking disability said, “I approached the EC through the district collector to relieve me from election duty, as I am unable to stand or sit for a long time. I also requested them not to allot me a remote area but the assignment I got is more than 25 km away from my residence.”

MSSKS had written a letter to the EC to exempt teachers with chronic diseases like cancer, pregnant and lactating mothers, disabled and those near retirement. When some teachers were unable to attend the training session, the EC issued notices to the teachers and non-teaching staff absent from the training.

“When the employees who were exempted by the old HC order demanded exemption from the district election officer, their demand was rejected without understanding their difficulties. Finally, we had to move the HC again,” said Sudhir Ghagas, president of MSSKS. In June 2019, the HC had ordered the EC to consider the health condition of teachers and distribute the election workload equally among all government departments. A teacher is pursuing this matter in the high court. In the petition, he demanded exemption from election duty, and action against the election officers who issued orders without understanding the problems of the employees.

Ghagas stated that on Monday in the hearing, the HC asked the government to file a reply to the petition. “After the notice was served by the HC, the EC issued a letter to the EC officers to relieve teachers who have health-related issues,” he said.