Pune: Avoiding election duty just got tougher.Teachers can no longer cite “health issues” to duck out of their electoral responsibilities. The education department plans to cross-check such health-related claims to assess their veracity, and if a teacher is caught giving false information to avoid poll assignment, he or she will face legal action.In a recent notification, the state education department said teachers who try to avoid election duties citing health reasons will have to undergo medical check-ups. The check-up will ensure that those making false claims are not exempted from the duties.On September 12, a training session was held for teachers on poll assignment. Some teachers had submitted applications, requesting the education department to exempt them from performing the electoral duties. However, the education department felt not all the applications were genuine.“The health department would conduct a cross-checking exercise. If the reports do not match the teachers’ claims, then legal action would be taken against them,” the education department added.Sunil Kurhade, the education officer at the Pune zilla parishad, said, “The election office can decide at any time to conduct medical check-ups of the teachers.”Bhau Chaskar, an education activist and teacher, said, “The job of booth level officers is given to the teachers. While the teachers are posted on duty, many are served notices and sometimes even threatened. As a result, they are under immense pressure.” He said it would be unfair to make the teachers undergo medical tests.The education department’s notice was issued against the backdrop of the upcoming gram panchayat elections — scheduled in November and December — in the Hingna taluka of Nagpur. It stated that 223 election centres would be set up and close to 1,300 personnel will be on election duty.

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