BLO teachers face transfer delays despite CEO's assurance
Despite the Chief Electoral Officer's assurance that teachers engaged in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls will not be deprived of transfer opportunities, uncertainty continues to prevail among teachers working as Booth Level Officers (BLOs). While they have been allowed to participate in the ongoing annual transfer process, many say they are still unsure whether they will actually be able to join their new schools because of the existing relieving norms of the School Education Department.
Relieving norms create hurdles
Under the department’s annual transfer process, teachers apply through the ePunjab portal, indicate their preferred schools and, after meeting the prescribed criteria and securing approval from the Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) concerned, are relieved from their existing schools to join their new postings. However, under the current rules, a teacher can be relieved only if the school continues to retain at least 50 per cent of its sanctioned staff or at least one lecturer in the subject concerned. The BLOs fear that even after completing their election duties and receiving transfer approval, these conditions could delay their relieving, placing them at a disadvantage compared with other teachers.
Election Commission directive complicates process
The issue stems from an Election Commission letter issued on June 16 directing that Booth Level Officers (BLOs), supervisors and other officials engaged in the SIR exercise should not be transferred without its prior approval, as their names had already been finalised and printed on the enumeration forms. However, as the department was simultaneously conducting its annual online transfer process, it requested the Chief Electoral Officer to allow these employees to participate without affecting the election exercise. The department pointed out that more than 25,800 transfer applications had already been received through the online portal and argued that excluding BLO teachers from the process would deny them an opportunity to opt for available vacancies.
Partial relief with conditions
Accepting the proposal, the Chief Electoral Officer allowed BLOs, supervisors and other officials engaged in the SIR exercise to participate in the transfer process. But, they will not be relieved from their present postings until the SIR exercise concludes on October 1. Till then, any transfer orders issued to them will remain on hold until the SIR exercise concludes.
Union demands immediate relief for same-constituency transfers
Sonali Sharma, president of the BLO Union Punjab, said, "BLO teachers, who have been transferred to schools within the same Assembly constituency where they are currently performing BLO duties, should be relieved immediately, as such transfers will not affect the ongoing SIR exercise. They should be allowed to join their new schools like other teachers." Echoing the demand, Sukhwinder Singh Makkar, general secretary of the BLO Union Punjab, said, "The transfer process takes place only once a year and BLO teachers should not be put at a disadvantage for performing election duties. While other teachers will be able to join their new schools after being relieved, we fear that even after completing the SIR exercise, we may still not be relieved because of the existing staffing norms. We urge the School Education Department to relax these norms for BLO teachers whose transfers have been approved."
