Union condemns teachers being assigned poll duties at far-flung stations

Parminder Pal Singh Kalia, president, Government School Teachers Union Punjab (Ludhiana); Parveen Kumar, general secretary, and Charan Singh Sarabha, patron, in a press statement issued today, criticised the District Election Officer for assigning teachers’ duties in the Block Samiti and Zila Parishad elections to far-flung areas.

Due to this, they said, the election staff would have to face a lot of practical problems in commuting and completing the election process.

Women teachers have also been assigned remote duties. The union leaders said that, on polling days, the staff usually deposits all election-related material by around 12 midnight. This would lead many women teachers to face safety concerns at night.

The leaders demanded that these duties be cancelled and teachers be attached to nearer blocks only.