The Democratic Teachers' Front (DTF) in Punjab has lodged a strong objection against the state's district administrations for deploying teachers in disproportionately high numbers for the ongoing process of the Zila Parishad and Block Samiti elections. The organization warns that this practice is severely disturbing the academic environment in schools already facing staff shortages.
Core Demands for Fair Duty Allocation and Exemptions
The DTF leaders stated that even teachers who are already serving as Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have been burdened with additional election responsibilities. They demanded that the deployment of teachers must be strictly proportional to the staff assigned from other government departments. The Front argued that BLOs should be completely exempted from polling duty as their role involves continuous, year-round work.
They proposed a systemic solution, urging the government to recruit unemployed youth in Punjab as full-time BLOs. Furthermore, they called for an immediate end to the practice of appointing computer teachers and other teaching staff to prolonged, office-based election work.
Safety, Family Concerns, and Honorarium Issues
Highlighting significant safety risks, the DTF drew attention to violent incidents reported from various districts up to the last date of filing nominations. They also referenced threats to election personnel's safety during previous panchayat elections. The leaders urged the Punjab State Election Commission to ensure full protection for all election staff, insisting that every polling station must have adequate security personnel to safeguard staff and ensure free and fair elections.
The Front also pointed out critical personal hardships. In families where both spouses are government employees, election duty often leaves no one to care for children or elderly members. They appealed for a policy to exempt one spouse in such cases. Additionally, they demanded that all election duties be assigned within the employee's own residential or working block to reduce logistical strain.
List of Sought Exemptions
The DTF sought complete exemption from election duties for the following categories:
- Widows and divorced women
- Mothers of small children and pregnant women
- Persons with chronic illnesses or disabilities
- Employees in the last six months of their service
They also requested that women employees and those on probation not be assigned the demanding role of presiding officer.
Unfulfilled Promises and Logistical Requests
The organization reminded authorities that during the previous panchayat elections, the Punjab State Election Commissioner had promised a special election duty honorarium, an assurance that was never fulfilled. The DTF demanded that this honorarium be ensured without fail this time.
On the logistical front, the teachers' body requested that no election rehearsals be scheduled on gazetted holidays. They also asked that election staff be given advance notice of an additional day off as compensatory rest after completing their poll duties.
