Axe on 25,000 teachers: Election Commission stares at shortage of polling officials

 According to sources, more than 15,000 school teachers, whose appointments were cancelled on Monday, had already undergone the training for poll duty

Polling officials in Alipurduar on Thursday, a day before the voting on April 19.: The Telegraph

Pranesh Sarkar, TT, Calcutta, 23.04.24 :The Election Commission was staring at a shortfall of polling officials following Monday’s Calcutta High Court verdict that cancelled the appointment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching employees at state-aided schools as most of them were tagged in poll duties.

“It is yet to be ascertained how many of them were assigned polling responsibilities but initial information from district-level officials suggest most were engaged in election duties…. The district authorities have been asked to look for their replacements from the reserve pool,” said a senior official in the EC.

According to sources, more than 15,000 school teachers, whose appointments were cancelled on Monday, had already undergone the training for poll duty. They were teachers of senior schools (between Class IX and Class XII) and such teachers are usually deputed as the presiding officers, who lead the election process at the booth.

“Practically speaking, it is tough for the district authorities to replace these senior polling officers,” said a source.

A district magistrate explained that he had already requisitioned almost all high school teachers in his district and as they were usually appointed as presiding officers, he would hardly have options to fill those vacancies.

“Second, we cannot fill in the vacancies from the reserve pool entirely as the weather conditions are very harsh this time. So, we have to keep at least 15 per cent officials in reserve on the voting day to ensure we can replace those polling officials who fall ill,” the DM added.

Officials said they were worried about the second phase of the election on April 26 when Darjeeling, Raiganj and Balurghat would go to the polls.

“DMs have been asked to find out how many of these teachers were given the responsibility of presiding officers. The authorities would ensure that their replacements are ready on time. As polling officials have to be sent to the booths a day before the voting, the district authorities will get little time to replace the teachers who lost their jobs,” said a source.

The sources said a total of 3.20 lakh government employees, including teachers, were tagged in poll duties. Another 35,000 government employees have been kept in reserve to conduct polls at 80,000-odd booths across the state.

“…. Replacing more than 15,000 presiding officers would be a tough job,” said an official.

A source in the EC said the situation could change if the Supreme Court stayed the verdict for a few weeks. The school service commission had already said it would move the Supreme Court.