NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure that poll duties do not impose an “unbearable” burden on schoolteachers or cause them excessive stress.
A bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia said that while there was no dispute over the ECI’s power to engage teachers for electoral roll revision duties, the mandate under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act cannot be lost sight of.
The act bars teachers from doing non-educational work, excluding three exceptions: population census, disaster relief work and election -related duties.
The high court bench passed the order while dealing with a public interest litigation (PIL) petition against requisitioning of school teachers for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the capital.
During the hearing, the bench also took note of ECI’s affidavit comprising details of teachers requisitioned and engaged in election duties and its powers to do the same. The bench also said that the petitioner “must prove” that teachers have been engaged in SIR work during school hours in violation of the SC judgement.
The affidavit of the poll panel stated that no teacher was being engaged in SIR duties during school hours. The court, however, directed the poll body to take appropriate measures while assigning such duties to ensure they do not impose an excessive or unbearable workload on teachers.
“They have filed a factsheet and given the total number of BLOs deployed and BLO volunteers deployed. They have given the numbers. If you have anything contrary to this, file it,” the bench said to the petitioners. The court also asked the petitioners to file a reply to the ECI affidavit before August 20.
Also in court
Medical test ordered to ascertain disorder
A city court has directed a medical test to ascertain if Sarabjeet Singh, an accused in Assembly security breach case, was of unsound mind and incapable of entering his defence. The court passed the order after the counsel submitted that Singh was suffering from bipolar disorder and sought directions for the constitution of medical board.
Plea against cop in CJP protest junked
A fundamental right to protest does not extend to damaging the seat of sovereignty, i.e., Parliament, the Delhi High Court said on Tuesday, while junking a petition seeking withdrawal of a pending enquiry from police officer Sandeep Lamba, who was seen slapping a woman during the CJP’s Parliament march protest.
