Women teachers want poll work to end by 6pm

Concerned over the safety of women teachers assigned election duty in the Assembly polls, a state-wide school principals’ association is planning to write to the state election commission as well as its national counterpart in the the next two days.

Concerned over the safety of women teachers assigned election duty in the Assembly polls, a state-wide school principals’ association is planning to write to the state election commission as well as its national counterpart in the the next two days.

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At a meeting held on Sunday evening, the Maharashtra School Principals Association said it was demanding better working hours for women teachers and that they not be made to work beyond 6pm.

The association has also asked that women teachers not be assigned posts of presiding officers (PrOs and APrOs) as they require them to work late hours.

“Women teachers should not be given posts on duty that will need them to stay back till late,” said Prashant Redij, spokesperson of the association. “And if they are assigned such positions, then they should be allowed to go home by 6 pm.”

Redij said that in case of women presiding officers, the election commission should ask zonal officers to directly submit the equipment at the main centres instead of asking women officers to do it. “Usually, zonal officers collect the equipment, but presiding officers have to submit it to the centres. This work is completed only around 1.30am.”

The association was concerned about the safety of the women officers after Vaishali Bhale, a teacher, died on poll duty during the Lok Sabha elections in April.