Finish electoral roll task before going on winter vacation, teachers told

Ravinder Saini

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Rohtak, December 30

The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has directed all Deputy Commissioners (DCs)-cum-District Election Officers to order teachers and Anganwari/ASHA workers designated as Booth Level Officers (BLOs) not to proceed on winter vacations without completing their task of special summary revision of the electoral roll.

Order OPPOSED

• CEO office’s directive leaves teachers dejected; winter vacations to start from Jan 1
• Teachers’ association to take up the matter with higher authorities

“The process of special summary revision of the electoral roll is in full swing at this stage and the final publication will be held on January 22, 2024 at all the designated places. A large number of teachers and Anganwari workers have been designated as BLOs. If they proceed during winter vacations, the work of special summary revision will be held up,” said a communiqué sent by the CEO office to the DCs recently.

Further stating that completion of the task on time was essential in order to prepare the error free electoral roll, a copy of the communiqué has also been sent to the additional chief secretaries, Departments of School Education, Health and Women and Child Development for necessary action.

Rohtak DC Ajay Kumar has confirmed the development.

On the other hand, this new directive has left the school teachers dejected as the majority of them had different plans for the winter vacations that begin from January 1.

“We had planned to celebrate New Year at a hill station this winter vacations but will now not be able to go for it following the CEO office’s directive. It is discriminatory as those having no such duty will enjoy their vacations while we will have to work,” said a primary teacher working as BLO.

Another teacher said the work of special summary revision of the electoral roll would continue till the declaration of the Lok Sabha polls. “The CEO office directive means that not only our winter vacations will go in vain but we will not be able to proceed on leave later on as well,” the teacher added.

Decrying the CEO office’s directive, Tarun Suhag, State General Secretary of Rajkiya Prathmik Shikshak Sangh, said: “Over 50 per cent primary teachers had been roped in to perform non-academic task of BLOs, which was inappropriate as teachers’ prime work was to teach the students.”

“We oppose the CEO office’s latest directive and will also register our protest to higher authorities in this respect,” Suhag said.