The sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) and returning officer of the Samrala sub-division in Punjab’s Ludhiana district has recommended the “immediate registration of FIRs” against 49 government employees, including 30 teachers, for missing the Punjab zila parishad and panchayat samiti poll rehearsal duty held Thursday.
Of the 49 employees against whom the FIR has been recommended, at least 30 are teachers, including school principals, elementary cadre teachers, computer/Hindi/maths/science teachers, head teachers, assistant professors, lecturers, among others.
Speaking to The Indian Express, SDM Rajneesh Arora said, “Action will be taken against the employees who remained absent from duty as per the prescribed rules of the Election Commission. These employees named in the list will be contacted today via phone and given one chance to mark their attendance for the duty today (Friday)”.
“We will be dispatching poll parties tomorrow (Saturday), and those who will be absent again will be booked. I have written to the DSP recommending action against employees who remained absent from rehearsal,” he added.
In his complaint to Tarlochan Singh, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Samrala, Arora said the 49 employees named in the list “should be booked and FIRs registered against them” for missing the poll duty rehearsal.
“The employees named in the list were assigned duties by the Ludhiana District Election Office for the smooth conduct of the elections, but they remained absent from the rehearsals held on Thursday. The work was adversely affected due to their absenteeism. They should be booked immediately, and FIRs should be registered against them under Section 120 (breach of official duty in connection with election) of the Punjab State Election Commission Act, 1994,” he added.
DSP Singh said they have received the complaint from SDM Arora. “First, the employees will be asked for an explanation, and then action will be taken accordingly,” he added.
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The issue of teachers, especially women, deployed on poll duty in the Punjab zila parishad polls snowballed after they alleged they were assigned far-flung stations, up to 80-110 km from their posting stations. For instance, teachers posted in Samrala and Khanna have been allotted poll duties in Raikot and Jagraon, at the other end of the district, and vice versa, without any arrangements for conveyance or overnight stay.
Many other teachers also alleged that they have been given “double duties,” as they were already working as Booth Level Officers (BLOs) for the SIR project of the Election Commission to revise the voters’ list.
Nearly 1 lakh, or 80 per cent, of teachers are on zila parishad poll duty across the state, leaving government schools empty for the past week. As many as 30 teachers, including those for main subjects such as maths, science, commerce, etc, from a single school are on poll duty.
The polling for the Punjab zila parishad and panchayat samiti is scheduled for December 14.
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