DTF raises safety concerns for teachers on election duty

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 23

A delegation of the Democratic Teachers’ Front met MLA Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh demanding stopping of the unjustified increase in poll duties of government teachers and burdening of students with board exams, registration fee and fines by the Education Department.

Members of the DTF district unit submitted a demand letter for Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann through the office of MLA Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, demanding rationing of teachers in poll duty, separate counting centres under increased security arrangements at the polling centres during the conduct of elections.

Ashwani Awasthi, state Finance Secretary-cum-district president of DTF, said thousands of teachers, who are deputed on poll duty for panchayat and other local body elections, face unpleasant incidents while the counting of votes is underway. “In previous years, violence against teachers on poll duty has been reported and during the last panchayat and municipal elections, there were incidents of rioting and beating during voting and counting in many places. Since teachers constitute a major chunk of government employees put on poll duty, their safety needs to be considered. There have been several issues faced by them during their poll duty. The issues related to incomplete election materials, food, water and accommodation, etc. Considering all this, we demand that separate counting centres and separate counting staff should be appointed for the upcoming MC and Lok Sabha elections,” said Awasthi.

Government teacher Rajesh Kumar Parashar said the main reason for the huge increase in student fee and fines by the Punjab School Education Board was non-payment of over Rs 600 crore by the Punjab Government to the education board. “The consequences of which are being borne by students and school teachers in the form of fees and even more fines. Even employees of the education board are being forced to undergo restrictions on salaries and pensions.

The leaders said they had met the Chairperson of the board in October regarding this issue, but so far no meaningful solution to these demands has been found.

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