KOLKATA: Justice Debangshu Basak of Calcutta High Court on Wednesday observed that the Election Commission should ensure college and university teachers be assigned for polling duty in accordance with their respective designations.
The single bench was responding to seven writ petitions filed together by about 50 college and university teachers seeking they be assigned on polling duty after due consideration of their educational qualifications. Among the petitioners, Kazi Nazrul Islam University assistant professor Ajajul Ali Khan said that he was appointed the first polling officer reporting to a presiding officer, who happens to be a Group D staff of the same university. Khan´s fellow petitioner, a lecturer of Purulia´s Sidhu Kanu Birsa University, too, contended he was appointed as polling officer under a Group D employee of the university.
The petitioners include 38 teachers of Raniganj TB College and 14 teachers of Kaliaganj College. Counsel for the Election Commission (EC) Dwaipayan Chowdhury submitted the commission was faced with a dearth of staff for polling duty, which compelled EC to assign polling duty in this manner. Counsel Sirsendu Singha Ray appeared for the petitioners.
The court fixed the next hearing for May 7.