Teachers who are ill or incapacitated are excused from poll duty: TNESTF

In preparation for the next Lok Sabha election, which is set to take place next month, the Tamil Nadu Elementary School Teacher Federation (TNESTF) has encouraged Returning Officers (ROs) in the seats of Coimbatore and Pollachi to provide exemptions from poll duty to teachers who are disabled or unwell.

Federation district secretary C. Arasu said that the department of education has lately gathered information from headmasters on all instructors, including those who are visually challenged, differently abled, sick, etc.

“In the last assembly election, officials assigned teachers with disabilities and illnesses to vote. Only a few educators handled the electoral work. After great effort, the district administration granted the majority of instructors an exemption from this task, he remembered.

Officers are not supposed to assign electoral duties to those with disabilities or those who are unwell. Teachers who are unable to perform their electoral duties should be exempted by ROs, according to Arasu.

According to sources, instructors and the ROs intended to file a petition in this respect. April 19 is the day of the Lok Sabha elections for all 39 seats in Tamil Nadu.