Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Class 10, Class 12 teachers in Maharashtra now exempted from poll duties

In a relief to the Class 10 and Class 12 teachers, they will be no longer be required for the Lok Sabha election duties, after the election commission issued a circular on Wednesday. Assistant chief electoral officer AN Walvi issued the circular stating – teachers of Class 10 and Class 12, approximately 50,000 in the state, will not be given election duties this year.

Currently, the Class 10 and Class 12 exams are going on in the state, while for 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra elections will be held in four phases between April 11 and 29.

Shikshak Bharati, organisation of primary and secondary teachers in the state took up this issue before the chief electoral officer and had a meeting with them on March 11.

“Class 10 and Class 12 exams are currently going on and after that school exams will be held. Our teachers are currently busy with completing the school syllabus and after the exams they again have to do paper checking. Class 10 and Class 12 paper checking cannot be done outside, so teachers need to come to school premises during the vacation period. When we held a meeting with the election officers, we explained to them our difficulties, so they immediately took the decision. We have informed them that we are ready to work on the election day, but cannot go for their trainings,” said Subhash More, Shikshak Bharati’s state level executive president. 

There are various election duties given to the teachers like undergoing various trainings, on the election day working at the election booths, later counting of votes, collecting the poll material and then finally submitting it back. Teachers are allowed for three types of assignments – Census, disasters and election duties according to the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009.