Association seeks protection, facilities for teachers on poll duty

The Tamil Nadu Teachers’ Association also urged the authorities to exempt physically challenged teachers, pregnant women and persons who will retire this year.

According to the Rights to Education Act (RTE), teachers are allowed for three types of assignments such as census enumeration, disaster damage evaluation and election duties.

Accordingly, teachers, trained in polling activities, will assist all the electoral officers across the State, wherein the EC had introduced the system of booth level officers and presiding officers to ensure free and fair polls.

As the training in poll procedures for teachers conducted by the Election Commission (EC) will be ending on Wednesday, those marked for poll duty will be posted for election duty on April 18 and counting of votes.

Tamil Nadu Teachers Association Secretary PK Illamaran told DT Next that his association had submitted a memorandum listing their requests to the Chief Electoral Officer that teachers should not be sent to polling stations located beyond 50 km from their place of work.

“Those who are deputed for election duty should be present in their respective polling booths one day in advance. Hence, we request the EC to arrange for food for all polling officials,” the memorandum said.

Election duties for teachers basically include undergoing training for the poll process, working at booths on voting and counting days, collecting poll material and finally submitting it back.

The general duty of the presiding officer at a polling station is to maintain voters’ list in order and ensure fair polling.

The teachers will also be trained in the activities of booth-level officers and on the use of indelible ink.