Principals demand better facility for staff on poll duty

A day after returning officer and principal of New Bombay City School, Ghansoli, Vaishali Bhave, died of heart attack while on election duty at a polling station in Thane on Thursday, the principals in the state have written to the chief electoral officer demanding better services for teachers on poll duties.

Maharashtra State Secondary and Higher Secondary School Principals' association (MSSHSSPA) on Friday demanded compensation for the teacher's family and also asked for better services to avoid such incident in the future.

"We have always maintained that the female teachers should not be given long hours of duty. We had also written to the election officers ahead of these polls. However, the demands were ignored. In fact, even if teachers submit a letter declaring health problems to demand exemptions, the officers on duty threaten us," said Prashant Redij, spokesperson of the association.

The association has also demanded that better facilities be provided for the staff on duty. "There was no immediate medical aid available. Similarly, there are no provisions to even tackle a fire," said Redij. The letter has also proposes that only 30 per cent of the school staff be used for election duty and the principals should be given a choice to select the staff s/he wants to send for the duty.

Similarly, Maharashtra Rajya Shikshak Parishad has demanded that the teachers be exempted from poll duties. "The teachers should be totally exempted from poll duty. MLC Ramnath Mote will write to the chief electoral officer on behalf of the teachers to seek exemption," said Anil Bornare, president of the association.