In a significant move, private school teachers in Pune are now required to participate in election duties for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. This decision comes after a directive from the Bombay High Court, which responded to requests from the Election Commission of India (ECI) to include teachers from non-aided and private institutions in the electoral process.
Traditionally, election duties have been assigned primarily to government employees, including public school teachers. However, this marks a notable shift as private educational institutions are also being asked to contribute staff for the electoral process.
Earlier this month, the Bombay High Court instructed associations of non-aided and private schools in Maharashtra to cooperate with the ECI by making their teachers available for election duties. Following this order, Pune’s District Collector Suhas Divase confirmed that private teachers would be enlisted for election roles for the first time in the region.
Teachers are expected to undergo a three-day training session and will be compensated with allowances for their time and efforts. Typically, the ECI requires around 50,000 personnel for election duties, and this year’s inclusion of private school staff is aimed at meeting this demand efficiently.
Hrishikesh Soman, Principal of the Symbiosis College of Arts and Commerce, mentioned that they had already submitted a list of teaching and non-teaching staff to the election office, some of whom have been assigned duties.
While the initiative is a step towards involving more community members in the democratic process, it has received mixed reactions. The Maharashtra State Institute of Education Management’s Vice President, Jagriti Dharmadhikari, highlighted that while such duties are manageable for government and aided school teachers due to legal obligations and better compensation, the imposition on private school staff has raised concerns.
Some school principals have expressed reservations, particularly regarding the impact on their staff’s personal responsibilities and pre-scheduled holidays. Despite these concerns, the move is seen as an essential part of broadening the pool of available personnel for managing elections, ensuring a smooth electoral process across the city.
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Tehsildar Anjali Kulkarni from the Sanjay Gandhi Yojana branch noted that there are specific exemptions available for election duty, such as for individuals with severe illnesses or family obligations, and nearly 150 applications for exemption have already been accepted in the Kothrud assembly area.
