Govt teachers on poll duty demand food and transportation

Government school teachers who are deployed for local poll duties are demanding basic amenities including providing food while discharging election related works. About one lakh teachers from government schools across Tamil Nadu will be indulged local body poll-related works across the State.

With elections to be held on February 19, Tamil Nadu Teachers Association president P K Ilamaran urged both the State government and State Election Commission to provide food at least during the polling day, which was not done in the past even after several demands.

He pointed out that teachers will be roped in for various poll-related duties, including assistant returning officers, block-level officers, and poll booth in-charge.

Stating that the State Election Commission has organised training programmes on February 9 and 10, he said “both Class 10 and Class 12 students will have board exams (language paper) on these two days and therefore, the date of training might be preponed for the benefit of the students.

Expressing concern over the deployment of teachers in high and higher secondary schools for election-related works, he said “this could have been avoided since it will take at least four full working days for the teachers to complete their poll duties, which might affect the studies of the students”.

Tamizhaga Tamizh Aasiriyar Kazhagam joint secretary R Dhandapani said as most of the teachers will be having poll duties till late at night, the government should also consider arranging transportation especially for the female teaching staff to reach home.